New era begins in prescribed medication and home health services
The Ministry of Health is taking comprehensive steps to facilitate access to health services for elderly and bedridden individuals.
Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu announced new regulations that will facilitate access to health services for elderly and bedridden patients. A new system is being prepared to enable the issuance of medical reports at home for individuals over the age of 80, to expand the prescriptionwriting powers of family physicians, and to allow prescribed medications to be obtained directly from the pharmacy.
Home Health Services Are Being Restructured
The Ministry of Health has established a new system to enable elderly and bedridden individuals to access health services without going to the hospital. Home health services, telehealth services, palliative services, and family practice have been restructured to work in coordination with each other.
Coordination Centers and Care Areas
Home health coordination centers have been established to ensure the coordination of the four structures. For patients whose intensive care treatment has been completed but who are dependent on machines, palliative critical care areas have been defined, and it was reported that there are currently 747 such areas across Turkey.
Telehealth Services Are Becoming Widespread
Patients sent home from the palliative care unit can be monitored via an electronic system through telehealth services. Thanks to this system, elderly patients can be examined remotely, their medications can be prescribed, and necessary minor interventions can be carried out.
In-Home Medical Report Opportunity for Those Over 80
The issuance of medication, supply, and disability health reports for individuals over the age of eighty has begun in their homes. The powers of family physicians to prescribe medications and issue medication and supply reports have been expanded, making an additional 1,859 medications eligible to be prescribed alongside existing ones.
Direct Medication Procurement System from Pharmacies
A new study is being conducted to facilitate access to medications for patients using prescribed drugs. Within the scope of joint preparations with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, it is planned that patients will be able to obtain their medication directly from the pharmacy every month without having to visit a doctor for the duration of their report.