Swiss medication standard · eMediplan
What is eMediplan?
Switzerland's medication QR standard.
eMediplan is Switzerland's standardised electronic medication plan. It encodes a patient's complete medication regimen in the CHMED16A1 format as a QR code — printed on the medication plan or directly on the prescription. Meditag reads CHMED16A1 codes and turns them into structured daily reminders.
The standard
What is CHMED16A1?
The name of the standard: CHMED16A1
The current version of the eMediplan QR code is called CHMED16A1. The abbreviation stands for: CH (Switzerland), MED (medication plan), 16 (introduced 2016), A1 (version). It is the format used by Swiss doctors' practices, pharmacies, and hospitals.
What it contains
Each eMediplan QR code encodes: patient name and date of birth, medication list with identifiers, per-dose quantities for morning / midday / evening / night slots, dosing frequency and duration, instructions for taking, and prescriber information — all compressed and stored in the QR code.
Who maintains the standard
The eMediplan standard is maintained by IG eMediplan, a Swiss interest group bringing together healthcare IT vendors, hospitals, pharmacies, and physician organisations. It is widely supported by Swiss practice software including Axon, Vitodata, Medelexis, and HCI Solutions.
How it works
From doctor's software
to patient's phone.
Doctor generates the QR code
The GP or specialist exports the patient's current medication list from their practice software (Axon, Vitodata, Medelexis, etc.) as a CHMED16A1 QR code — printed on the medication plan or directly on the prescription. Many pharmacies also print the code on the prescription.
Patient scans with a compatible app
The patient scans the QR code — from the medication plan or the prescription — with a CHMED16A1-compatible app such as Meditag. The full medication list is imported instantly — no manual entry, no transcription errors.
App sets up reminders and records doses
Meditag converts the imported plan into meal-timed reminders and records each dose taken or skipped. The patient can generate a 7-day PDF record of their doses for their next appointment.
Common questions
eMediplan explained.
Which Swiss apps read eMediplan QR codes?
Meditag reads CHMED16A1 QR codes and converts them into meal-timed medication reminders on iPhone and Android. It is free, requires no account, and stores all health data locally on the patient's device. The official eMediplan viewer from IG eMediplan also reads the format.
Where do I find the QR code?
The CHMED16A1 QR code appears on two documents: on the medication plan (eMediplan) printed by your doctor or pharmacy, and directly on the prescription. If your doctor or pharmacist does not print a QR code, ask for one — all certified Swiss systems support the export.
Does my doctor's software support eMediplan?
Most Swiss practice management systems support eMediplan export: Axon, Vitodata, Medelexis, HCI Solutions, and SGAM Axon all generate CHMED16A1 QR codes. Ask your practice team to print or show the eMediplan QR code at your next appointment.
Is the eMediplan QR code the same as the European Health Data Space medication summary?
No. CHMED16A1 is a Swiss-specific format developed independently of EU standards. Switzerland is not yet part of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). The eMediplan format is specific to the Swiss healthcare system.
What happens to my medication data when I scan a QR code in Meditag?
All data stays on your phone. Meditag does not send your medication names, doses, or health records to any server. The app stores everything locally on your device. If you enable cloud backup, the data is encrypted on your device before upload — Meditag cannot read the content.
Use Meditag
Turn your eMediplan QR code
into daily reminders — free.
Meditag reads the QR code from your prescription or medication plan and sets up meal-timed reminders automatically. 7-day dose record as PDF. Online area for carers and home nursing support. Free for iPhone and Android.