No Pharmacy Staff Can View Any Patient Health Data: Anahit Avanesyan

The Minister of Health of Armenia, Anahit Avanesyan, addressed the implementation of the electronic prescription system, noting that any change brings certain inconveniences at first. Avanesyan mentioned that the system is functioning properly, and already more than 140,000 prescriptions have been issued.

She also touched on the protection of medical confidentiality, adding that electronic databases offer much more protection than paper ones. According to Avanesyan, access to electronic databases can be limited and monitored, and if a person engages in any inappropriate actions, it can be traced back. She stated, “No pharmacy employee can view any patient health data, and in response to citizens' suggestions, we have closed off the doctor's specialization; this was also an important response that we heard, accepted, and changed.” Avanesyan added that this system has provided much better protection for medical confidentiality than before, when it was based on paper documentation.