Italy: Electronic veterinary prescription is coming

The WINGESFAR pharmacy management system, the software leader of CompuGroup Medical (CGM) on the Italian pharmacy market, now enables efficiency and simplicity in the administration of electronic veterinary prescriptions. An update makes it possible to process the electronic veterinary prescription in the same way as the electronic prescription of medicinal products for human use.

Despite some operational uncertainties, due to the way in which the prescription is handled by veterinarians (private or not) and the way and privilege for the exchange and substitution of medicines, the start of the electronic prescription of veterinary medicines has taken place throughout Italy.

In general, the switch to electronic veterinary prescription is an undeniable advantage for the entire supply chain and for the system, if we take into account the possibilities of controls and the elimination of the obligation to treat and keep paper prescriptions. To this end, the Italian Ministry of Health has planned various modes of dispensing veterinary medicines.

This mode, which is used in the first phase of the 'commitment', can be considered as an alternative and can only be used in an emergency or when the supply via the human electronic prescription channel does not work. On the platform of the Ministry of Health there is an app that offers the possibility to perform the same functionalities via mobile devices.

More efficiency and simplicity are possible in managing the electronic prescription of a veterinary medicinal product with the second planned mode, i.e. managing the electronic veterinary medicinal product directly from the pharmacy management system. In particular, all WINGESFAR customers, the software for pharmacies widely used in Italy and implemented by CGM, have received a simple update that is included in the annual processing fees. It also enables them to process the electronic veterinary prescription in the same way as it is used for the electronic prescription of medicinal products for human use.

The processing of WINGESFAR's veterinary electronic prescription is functional and efficient, allowing fast processing and providing a direct link to the point of sale for issuing the receipt and managing stock movements related to regulatory policy and re-ordering.

'In order to simplify the use of the software, training documents have also been produced as accompanying documentation and specific webinars, which have made the launch of the electronic veterinary prescription easier and more efficient,' stressed Oscar Sommaggio, General Manager of the Pharma Software House of CompuGroup Medical. 'Another advantage is the use of a complete, widely used product such as WINGESFAR.'