Experience Report: Practical Problems with E-Prescription, Electronic Patient Record, and Health Professional Card in Germany (heise.de)

• E-prescription for controlled substances not implemented, dot-matrix printer still required
• Electronic patient record often empty or contains only billing data
• Health professional card must be exchanged by June 2026 or signing stops
• Pharmacy software rejects e-prescriptions for active ingredients
• Health insurers often do not offer electronic substitute certificate

"A German pain specialist details daily obstacles with digital health tools: e-prescriptions do not cover controlled substances, the electronic patient record often contains only billing data instead of medical reports, and the health professional card must be regularly replaced. The telematics infrastructure promises relief but adds complexity and time. Patients are often uninformed; health insurers fail to offer required functions. The report reveals a gap between policy goals and practical implementation."