[Patients' mailbox and electronic prescription]

Electronic prescribing shall contribute essentially to improved healthcare services from 2006 onwards in Germany. The desired improvements, however, can only be achieved with "real" telematic solutions. The alternative of pharmaceutical prescription transmission via secure network connections or via electronic health card provides a considerable empowerment to the patients. Electronic prescribing, however, does not provide direct advantages to patients. Benefits for them can be realised by a drug documentation system, ready to identify contraindications or multiple prescriptions. The patients' acceptance of the system to be established therefore largely depends on the concurrent introduction of both elements.