[Opportunities and challenges of the digitalisation of pharmaceutical supply: A qualitative study involving relevant experts].

Abstract

Background: The supply of pharmaceuticals is undergoing structural change due to internet mail orders, a shortage of skilled workers, and the decreasing density of community pharmacies. Since January 1, 2024, Germany also has an electronic prescription procedure, the e-prescription. This study aims to answer the question how digitalization has changed access to pharmaceuticals.

Methods: Semi-structured expert interviews were conducted between September 2023 and March 2024. Relevant experts were identified and surveyed about their experience with the influence of digitalization that has so far been observed, about its practicality, and their expectations and outlook regarding the consequences for the supply of medicines. Therefore, only experts from self-governing bodies, the Gematik GmbH, payers, and patient representatives were selected. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using MAXQDA.

Results: A total of 9 interviews were conducted. Regarding the effects of digitalization on patient care provided by community and mail order pharmacies, the experts overall regarded mail order pharmacies as high-performance companies that comply with the safety principles required in the pharmaceutical trade. All experts could see the mail order trade's impact on the density of community pharmacies. The shortage of skilled workers was confirmed by all experts, and digitalization can help mitigate this problem. However, an excessive expansion of mail order companies can disadvantage patients. Concerning e-prescriptions, the expert interviews revealed that e-prescriptions and the telematics infrastructure (TI) are still experiencing difficulties. Despite the costs, the experts surveyed believe that improvements in patient care and patient safety will enhance patient rights.

Discussion: Digitization has a beneficial effect by increasing access to pharmaceutical care. People can access medicines more easily through mail orders and e-prescriptions depending on how they are dispensed. However, some groups of people do not benefit from the new advantages, resulting in the need to further reduce this imbalance in the future. The preservation of community pharmacies for the purpose of individual advice and emergency pharmacy services is another challenge that we have to face as a result of digitalization.

Conclusion: The e-prescription still has its shortcomings and is currently testing the patience of doctors, pharmacists, and prescription recipients. If stable, it will improve both patient care and patient safety. Future studies will need to demonstrate that the access-to-medicines gap can be filled and technical difficulties further reduced.