A Secure Electronic Prescription System

Abstract

Abstract — Since 2011, is mandatory to prescribe through an electronic system in Portugal. Several third party companies start to develop prescribing software/interfaces that act as gateways to transmit the prescription data from the practitioners to the Health Ministry. The use of those companies in this circuit weakens the Prescription System’s security levels and compromises the confidentiality and privacy of doctors and patients’ personal data. The main aim is to propose a secure and safer Prescribing System that allows prescriptions’ authentication and protects the patient data, keeping their identity confidential. By protecting several system flaws, this proposed increases greatly the Prescription System security levels, protects patient data, and avoid its collection from Third Party Companies. Also the physical model of the electronic Prescription appears to have all the security and applicability requirements needed to function during a communication network dysfunction. Since 2011, is mandatory to prescribe through an electronic system in Portugal. Several third party companies start to develop prescribing software/interfaces that act as gateways to transmit the prescription data from the practitioners to the Health Ministry. The use of those companies in this circuit weakens the Prescription System’s security levels and compromises the confidentiality and privacy of doctors and patients’ personal data. The main aim is to propose a secure and safer Prescribing System that allows prescriptions’ authentication and protects the patient data, keeping their identity confidential. By protecting several system flaws, this proposed increases greatly the Prescription System security levels, protects patient data, and avoid its collection from Third Party Companies. Also the physical model of the electronic Prescription appears to have all the security and applicability requirements needed to function during a communication network dysfunction.