Extremadura, Canary Islands Pilot eHealth Card

The governments of Extremadura and the Canary Islands, two of Spain’s autonomous regions, are testing the interoperability of an eHealth card, to be used for prescriptions and in pharmacies in both regions. The administrations of the two regions presented the eHealth card on February 16, at an eHealth conference in Madrid. During the pilot-phase, Extremadura will dispense prescriptions to a fictional patient, to test if the medicines can be picked up at pharmacies on the Canary Islands.

If this works, the pilot will be reversed. In the next phase, the test will involve a controlled group of patients in both regions. The two phases together should not take more than two months. When successful, Extramadura suggests that the system can be extended to other regions. A first possibility is Castilla-La Mancha, hints the announcement, as that region’s health care minister attended the presentation.

Prescriptions

The pilot takes place alongside an electronic prescription program that is already being implemented on the Canary Islands - in a project called the Receta Electrónica Continua (Continuous Electronic Prescription). Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health of the Canary Islands announced that it would add the final two of its seven islands to the program. The REC project was started in June.

The Islands’ electronic prescription card should give health care professionals up-to-date information on medication per patient. With the card, patients can get their medications anywhere the card system is implemented. Patients can also receive information about their medication and treatment.

More information:

Press release by the government of Extremadura (in Spanish)
Press release by the government of Extremadura (in Spanish)
Receta Electrónica Continua at the Canary Islands (in Spanish)
Extremadura Health Service (in Spanish)