Estonian e-prescriptions can now also be used in Cyprus
People from Estonia can now purchase medicines in pharmacies in Cyprus using e-prescriptions issued in Estonia. Likewise, people from Cyprus can use e-prescriptions issued in their home country in Estonia. In addition to exchanging prescription data, Estonia and Cyprus also exchange patient health summaries.
Cyprus is the latest country to join the network where Estonian cross-border e-prescriptions can already be used. The service is used thousands of times each year: last year, people from Estonia purchased medicines abroad using Estonian e-prescriptions on more than 5,000 occasions, and this year the figure has already exceeded 4,200.
“Cross-border e-prescriptions are a very practical service. If someone runs out of medication while travelling, leaves it at home, or has to remain abroad longer than planned, they do not need to return to Estonia simply because of a prescription. The necessary medicine can also be dispensed in another country,” said Riho Rosenthal, Cross-Border Data Exchange Service Manager at TEHIK.
Health information can help even in the most critical situations
In addition to e-prescriptions, Estonia and Cyprus already exchange patient health summaries. If a person from Estonia needs medical care in Cyprus, a healthcare professional can access information that is important for treatment, such as the patient’s medications, allergies, diagnoses and medical history. The relevant information is presented to the healthcare professional in their own language.
This can be especially important in an emergency. “In the most critical situations, we cannot assume that a person is able to provide the doctor with all the necessary information about their health. Information about a patient’s medications, allergies or medical history can be extremely important when making treatment decisions. Cross-border data exchange helps ensure that essential health information can travel securely with the patient,” Rosenthal said.
How to use an Estonian e-prescription in Cyprus
Prescription medicines are dispensed in Cyprus on the same basic principle as in Estonia: the patient must present an ID card or passport at the pharmacy, after which the pharmacist can electronically retrieve the patient’s e-prescriptions using their personal identification code. There is no need to bring a paper prescription or a separate certificate from a doctor. Before travelling, it is advisable to check in the Health Portal that the required prescription is valid and that cross-border access to health data has not been restricted.
Not all medicines can be purchased using a cross-border e-prescription. Exceptions include, for example, narcotic and psychotropic medicines. It is also possible that a medicine prescribed in Estonia is not available in another country or is marketed there under a different name.
In addition to Cyprus, Estonian e-prescriptions can currently be used in Finland, Croatia, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia and Czechia.
Cross-border e-prescriptions and the exchange of patient health summaries operate through the European MyHealth@EU infrastructure, which enables European countries to exchange health data securely and in an agreed format. The list of participating countries and services is expanding gradually.
More detailed information about all participating countries and services is available on the TEHIK website.