Pharmaceutical News
No reimbursement for duplicate prescriptions from next year
2018/11/11

Reported by Liu Chia-Yun from Taipei

Despite the NHIA’s promotion of the cloud-based medication record system, many patients are still able to collect medicines in duplication within a short period of time.   The cloud-based medication record system currently targets on 12 drug items and warns doctors of duplicate prescriptions.  This function will be extended to 60 drug items from next year.  Any prescription issued in duplication within a fortnight will no longer be reimbursed by the NHI.

However, GPs complained that the system is not user-friendly.   For example, it could take a long time to connect to the system; and patients sometimes lose their patience.  GPs suggested that the NHIA should provide medication education for the public, not just punishing the healthcare providers.

According to the NHIA’s data, over 180,000 patients collected medication in duplication in the first quarter of this year, costing the NHI about NT$70 million.  Most of those patients are over 71 years old (40%), followed by the age group of 61-70 (26%) and 51-60 (17%). In total, middle and old aged patients accounted for 80%.

Chang Ru-Hsiun of the NHIA expressed that if there are still more than 10 days medication left between the first and the second prescriptions then the second prescription will be considered duplicate.  Before the function of the automatic warning message was added to the system, doctors used to retrieve patient’s personal record to access the medication history.  After the introduction of the new function in September this year, it is now easier for doctors to prevent duplicate prescriptions.

Dr Zeng Zi-Zhan, the Honorary President of the Taiwan Medical Clinics Association, expressed that the clinics are expecting the penalties because it is difficult to break patients’ habit of stocking up medicines.  “It’s either to pay the penalties or to deal with patient’s complaint filed to the NHIA,” said Dr Zeng.

Dr Zeng said that the GPs are happy to comply with the regulation; however, the NHIA has to firstly solve the system connection problem.

【2018-11-06 / United Daily News】