Jamaica: A doctor's visit no longer required for medical prescription

The Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica has stated that getting a prescription would no longer require a doctor's visit because the document may now be transmitted electronically.

This, however, can only be done with the patient's agreement and must adhere to the regulations of the Data Protection Act to guarantee sensitive information is secured.

The Ministry announced the decision on Friday, explaining that it had sought guidance from the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) on the topic. According to the AGC, the communication of prescriptions for medications by electronic means is permitted in Jamaica under Regulation 20 of the Pharmacy Regulations Because medication data are a type of highly sensitive personal data.

"Furthermore, government agencies should be able to examine and check the system's promises of privacy, data protection, cyber risks, and encryption." If previous proposals exist, they should be accepted," the Ministry underlined.

It stated that patient consent should be in writing and must represent agreement to participate in any programme and have their data shared electronically with other medical experts.  These consent forms should be easily auditable.

According to the Ministry, the patient's freedom to pick the service should be preserved, while partially completed prescriptions should be available for dispensing with the balance quantity by the same or another pharmacy of the patient's choice, which may or may not be a member of the network.

“Given the availability of both physical and digital versions, the system should be able to preclude dual dispensation of medications, and there should be checks and balances in place to prevent this," it stated.

Meanwhile, the Ministry announced the formation of a small internal team to coordinate present and emerging challenges related to prescription electronic transmission.