The scope of this document is constrained to the content of the electronic prescription (ePrescription) itself, the digital document which is issued by a prescribing healthcare professional and received by a dispensing healthcare professional. The prescribed medicinal product is to be dispensed through an authorized healthcare professional with the aim of being administered to a human patient. The ePrescription in the administrative workflow of reimbursement is not covered in this document.

This document specifies the requirements that apply to ePrescriptions. It describes generic principles that are considered important for all ePrescriptions.

This document is applicable to ePrescriptions of medicinal products for human use. Although other kinds of products (e.g. medical devices, wound care products) can be ordered by means of an ePrescription, the requirements in this document are aimed at medicinal products that have a market authorization and at pharmaceutical preparations which are compounded in a pharmacy.

This document does not limit the scope to any setting (community, institutional) and leaves it to the national bodies to decide on this matter.

This document specifies a list of data elements that can be considered as essential for ePrescriptions, depending on jurisdiction or clinical setting (primary healthcare, hospital, etc.). Ensuring the authenticity of these data elements is in scope and will have impact on the requirements of information systems.

Other messages, roles and scenarios (e.g. validation of a prescription, administration, medication charts, EHR of the patient, reimbursement of care and dispensed products) are not covered in this document, because they are country-specific or region-specific, due to differences in culture and in legislation of healthcare. However, requirements and content of ePrescriptions within the context of jurisdictions have a relationship with these scenarios. This document also does not cover the way in which ePrescriptions are made available or exchanged, and the process of prescribing itself.

The logistic process of prescribing itself is not part of the scope. A prescription can either be sent (pushed) to a dispenser or either be retrieved (pulled) at the dispenser. However, the requirement for the prescription is described, that it will be able to function in both environments.