New regulations are being implemented for home healthcare services and access to prescribed medicines
The Ministry of Health is launching new practices, including issuing medical reports at home and direct pharmacy pickup for medicines, to facilitate access to healthcare services for elderly and chronic patients.
Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu announced that home healthcare services have been restructured and that medical reports for individuals over the age of 80 have started to be issued at home. The ministry is also working on a system that will allow patients to obtain their medications directly from pharmacies during the validity of their reports without needing to visit a doctor.
New restructuring in home healthcare services
The Ministry of Health has restructured home healthcare services in terms of technology and legislation to enable elderly and bedridden individuals in particular to access healthcare services without having to go to the hospital.
Coordination centers and palliative care units
Home healthcare services, telehealth services, palliative care, and family medicine have been organized to work in coordination with one another, and coordination centers have been established to manage this structure.
A total of 747 critical palliative care beds have been designated across Turkey for patients who have completed intensive care treatment but still require supportive care, and this process is monitored through electronic systems.
Home report option for citizens over 80
Within the scope of the new practices initiated to eliminate the necessity for the elderly to travel to the hospital, medication, medical supply, and disability health reports for individuals over the age of 80 have now begun to be issued in their homes.
Authorities of family physicians and new medications
It was reported that the prescribing authorities of family physicians as well as their authority to issue medication and supply reports have been expanded, making an additional 1,859 medications eligible to be prescribed by family physicians.
Direct pharmacy period for prescribed medications
As a result of joint efforts with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, a new system is being prepared to enable patients to receive their monthly doses of medication directly from the pharmacy every month for the duration of their prescription report without having to visit a doctor.