E-prescription Switzerland Service

Key element of the digital transformation of the Swiss healthcare system

  • Datensparsame Lösung inkl. digitale Signatur für das E-Rezept Schweiz
  • Einlösung in allen Schweizer Apotheken möglich ab Anfang 2025
  • Nationale Lösung für über 30 Mio. E-Rezepte pro Jahr
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Two smartphones showing the Swiss e-prescription app: an introduction to the service and a list of prescribed medication

E-prescription Switzerland Service

E-prescription Switzerland is an initiative of the Swiss Pharmacists’ Association pharmaSuisse and the Swiss Medical Association FMH. The e-prescription Switzerland service is provided by Health Info Net AG (HIN).

At a glance

In 2021, HIN commissioned Certifaction with the joint development of a data-saving solution for the e-prescription Switzerland service. HIN and Certifaction have been working together since 2020 and have already successfully developed HIN Sign and HIN Sign Professional for the Swiss healthcare sector.

Maximum security

Thanks to zero-document knowledge, Certifaction and HIN never have access to sensitive data

Life cycle

Complete life cycle from the signature to the redemption of the e-prescription

Seamless integration

Integrated into all leading IT systems of medical practices, hospitals and pharmacies

HIN logo

Get to know the customer

Health Info Net AG (HIN) protects patient data in the digital world. For healthcare professionals in Switzerland, HIN is the standard for secure communication and the confidential handling of sensitive data. HIN was founded in 1996 on the initiative of the FMH and the Ärztekasse. Since then, HIN has been connecting healthcare professionals simply, securely and personally.

The challenge:

In today’s digital world, efficiency and security play a crucial role – especially in the healthcare sector. The medical and pharmacy communities in Switzerland have joined forces to drive forward the Swiss e-prescription initiative. E-prescriptions are an important milestone in the digitalisation of the Swiss healthcare system and enable the exchange between doctor, patient and pharmacy to be paperless, secure and fast.

HIN’s aim was to offer a widely accepted and standardised solution for the Swiss healthcare system with the E-Prescription Switzerland service. Similar to HIN Sign, the E-Prescription Switzerland Service also uses the HIN eID or an equivalent EPD-certified means of identification for medical staff or the organisation as a basis. The solution needed to be data-efficient and secure against forgery and misuse. The search was not just for a simple signature solution, but for an end-to-end solution that covers the entire life cycle of an e-prescription.

In addition, simple integration via API into all leading hospital, practice and pharmacy information systems was a key requirement for Certifaction’s technical solution.

Overview: Customer requirements

  1. Top priority: data minimisation and data security
  2. Complete national solution for over 30 million e-prescriptions per year
  3. Seamless integration into existing applications (PIS, HIS & pharmacy systems)
  4. Mapping of the complete e-prescription process life cycle
  5. Single sign-on (SSO) and signature based on HIN eID

"The close collaboration with Certifaction enabled us to develop a secure and privacy-compliant solution without compromising the user-friendliness of the Swiss e-prescription. This is the key to a successful digitalization of the healthcare sector."

Christoph Weber, Product Manager, HIN

Christoph Weber, Product Manager, HIN

The solution

Certifaction and HIN have jointly developed a solution that makes the entire e-prescription signature process efficient, secure and legally compliant. Furthermore, the solution is designed for a very high volume, as around 30 million prescriptions are issued in Switzerland every year. Thanks to Certifaction’s Zero Document Knowledge technology, the solution fulfils the highest security and data protection requirements. Doctors, patients and pharmacies benefit equally from the efficiency and reliability of the new digital process.

Find more use cases and selection criteria in our overview of electronic signatures in Switzerland.

Diagram of the e-prescription process in Switzerland with symbols for doctor, patient and pharmacy, arrows and text showing the process from prescription via paper/app, QR code request by patient, signing and registration by doctor, to redemption of the e-prescription at the pharmacy, as well as a note that no personal patient data is stored.
The implementation of the e-prescription solution enables doctors to digitally sign e-prescriptions securely based on their personal HIN eID. The digital prescriptions are generated directly from the hospital or practice software and made forgery-proof by the electronic signature. This protects them from misuse. The pharmacy can then use the QR code scanner to automatically read, check and validate the e-prescription. Authentication is also based on electronic identities.
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The result: efficient and safe eMedication

"The cooperation during the implementation was excellent, as Certifaction supported us in all aspects in a cooperative, uncomplicated manner."

Peer Hostettler, Member of the Executive Board, HIN

Peer Hostettler, Member of the Executive Board, HIN

The introduction of the e-prescription is a relief for doctors. They can issue e-prescriptions directly from their software, sign them in a legally compliant manner and transmit them securely to pharmacies. This reduces the risk of errors and forgeries.

For patients, the e-prescription offers convenience and security. They no longer have to keep physical prescriptions or worry about losing paper documents. In future, e-prescriptions can be conveniently downloaded onto a smartphone. This means you always have them with you, they remain legible and don’t get lost.

Depiction of the electronic signature on e-prescriptions in Switzerland with two smartphone screens showing an e-prescription app, including text on how to use the service, an article image with a man in front of a computer, and the logos of the organisations HIN, FMH and pharmaSuisse on a white background.

The e-prescription also offers advantages for pharmacies. They can read the prescription automatically via the QR code and no longer have to laboriously type it in manually. Authenticity is also checked immediately and automatically. The result: faster and more efficient supply of medication to patients.

The e-prescription shows how digitalisation can make the healthcare system more efficient and safer – a major step towards a paperless and networked future.

Your path to the future

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Contact us now to find out how we can help your company make your signing, certification and verification processes digital, intuitive and future-proof.

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All benefits at a glance

Maximum data and document security

Solution for more than 30 mio e-prescriptions/year

Complete life cycle from signature to cancellation

Partnership-based product development

Simple integration via API

Single sign-on (SSO) based on HIN eID

Signature based on HIN eID

User-friendly, data-saving signature

Forgery and tamper-proof

Easy-to-use signing function

Use via web app or integration

Easy entry into digitalisation

FAQs

Our answers to the most frequently asked questions

Yes. Our eSignatures are legally valid and support all major global standards (incl. eIDAS, ZertES, UETA, ESIGN).

In addition, you can choose the signature type that suits you best: from the cost-effective simple eSignature to the qualified eSignature (QES).

Unlike most competing providers, Certifaction offers the option of signing documents without ever seeing their content. The documents are processed locally on the customer side and encrypted when using the web app.

In the case of API integration, a local gateway takes over the encryption. In the event of a hack, the file would therefore be encrypted and unreadable. We also ensure that the documents are stored on ISO 27001-certified servers in Switzerland or an EU country.

Yes, Certifaction offers a customised white label option for partners. This enables the seamless integration of own products such as eIDs and certificates. The white label solution gives partners complete control over the platform. As an integration partner, we help open up new revenue streams and maximise business potential by providing tailored solutions for individual needs.

The Certifaction WebApp can be used immediately in the browser. The eSignature solution can also be integrated quickly via an API connection. Alternatively, the solution can be used as a white label product with full personalisation. Depending on the requirements, this is ready within a few weeks.

Certifaction is a hybrid solution without a complex infrastructure. The connection is established via API or by installing the CLI client. This makes our eSignature solution more flexible and cost-effective than a solution that is operated in your own data centre.

Certifaction is characterised by its innovative technology and clear focus on partnerships. Our customers value us as a trustworthy European partner that not only offers close cooperation and the highest security standards, but also enables the integration of its own products through white label solutions. This opens up new business opportunities and additional revenue streams for our partners. Our solution offers:

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