Dear patients,
Whenever you come to the practice and ask for a new prescription, this is a complex process.
We, the family doctors, have listed here everything we have to consider when issuing a prescription:
- Has the patient presented their health insurance card?
- Are there possibilities to treat without medication now?
- Is it the right medication for this disease?
- Has the desired effect occurred?
- Should the dosage be maintained as is?
- Were there any side effects? Allergies?
- Should the medication be taken at all?
- Does it match the medication plan?
- Is it plausible that the tablets have been used up?
- Is there a risk of addiction with too frequent use?
- Is the medication compatible with other medications, possibly prescribed by specialized physicians?
- Are laboratory tests necessary during medication?
- Is the prescription adequate, appropriate and economical and does not exceed the extent of what is necessary? (see §2 and §31 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code)
- Is the substance now available “over the counter”?
(see §34 para. 1 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code: no prescription of over-the-counter medicines for adults.) - Is it a “minor health disorder”?
(see §34 para. 2 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code: no prescription for “minor health disorders”.) - Or is it still prescribable due to the exception list of the Joint Federal Committee?
- Consideration of special regulations within the framework of §84 para. 7a of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code
(reward or punishment of doctors, depending on how favorably they prescribe). - Consideration of special regulations within the framework of prevention programs such as diabetes
(§137f para. 7a of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code). - Consideration of recourse claims (the doctor must pay himself what he prescribes too much)
(§84 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code). - Avoiding medications from so-called me-too lists (medications without proven additional benefit).
- Consideration of discount agreements according to §130 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code (the pharmaceutical companies offer their drugs cheaper if all patients of a certain health insurance company receive the drug of this company in the pharmacy).
- Consideration of the regulation for exemption from co-payments (patients who are not exempt do not have to pay anything in the pharmacy for particularly inexpensive drugs) in accordance with §§61, 62 and 125 of the Fifth Book of the German Social Code.
- Is the prescription formally correct (otherwise the pharmacy will receive a clawback, i.e. pay for the medication itself instead of the health insurance company, just because <<1-0-0>> instead of >>1-0-0<< is on the prescription )
It’s not all that simple. Therefore, please understand that we cannot check your prescription request “just like that.” Please give us time to do this responsibly.
Therefore, please order your long-term medication with sufficient lead time!
