National medication list progresses – deployment of structured dosage 2022
In the first phase of the national medication list, an up-to-date prescription list will be available in Kanta due to structured dosage. Medicine users, professionals taking part in pharmacotherapy, and healthcare service providers will benefit from the medication list.
The national medication list provides a clearer view of medication, reduces duplication of work, increases medication safety, and promotes appropriate pharmacotherapy.
The first phase of the deployment of the national medication list will start on 15 March 2022. Structured dosage will be deployed in the first phase. The data contents of the Pharmaceutical Database will also be expanded. In the second phase, an up-to-date medication list of outpatient care will be entered in Kanta.
The medication list is part of a whole where the management of data related to pharmacotherapy will be improved.
Structured dosage improves medication safety
After structured dosage has been deployed, it will be possible to transfer data directly from the Prescription Centre into the patient data system when both systems are using compatible structured dosage. Due to the change, the use of the Prescription Centre by the systems will be smoother and it will be easier to maintain the patient’s prescription list.
“Due to structured dosage, it will be possible to receive the medicine dosage instructions in writing in full length. This will facilitate the work of pharmacies and improve patient safety,” explains Specialist Harri Nurmi of the Kanta Services.
Expansion of the Pharmaceutical Database content is useful to social welfare and healthcare professionals and pharmacies
Information about possible biosimilars will be introduced in the expansion of the content of the Pharmaceutical Database.
“The change aims to increase the use of biosimilars in order to gain savings in medicine costs,” Nurmi says.
The separate statement related to limited reimbursability of certain medicines will also become structured. At the moment, the doctor issues a separate statement in a specific format. The separate statement is related to limited reimbursability of certain medicines. Kela specifies the medicines for which a separate statement must be given.
In future, the patient data system will suggest a separate statement directly to the doctor. The medical preconditions related to the statement are shown in the user interface, and the doctor confirms that these preconditions are met by selecting the correct separate statement.
“As a result of the change, doctors need to spend less time in issuing a separate statement. In addition, the number of queries to the healthcare service by pharmacies will be reduced, for example, in situations where the separate statement has been entered incorrectly or is missing,” Nurmi explains.
Join us in developing the national medication list
The Kanta Services is developing the national medication list in workshops together with the users of the medication list and the professionals using the medication list.
Further information about the schedules and registration for the workshop is available on the kanta.fi website.
Find out more
Further information
- Harri Nurmi, Specialist, Prescription service
- firstname.lastname@kela.fi
- kanta@kanta.fi