We are excited to announce the following updates to our mobile and iPhone® apps:
- Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances (EPCS)
- Risk Factors and Advanced Directives
- Copy Phone Number for Private Calls
- Appointment Counts on the Schedule
EPCS
We are excited to announce that EPCS-approved providers can send prescriptions for controlled substances electronically to EPCS-enabled pharmacies from their mobile device, giving providers the freedom to send EPCS from anywhere. This feature will be rolled out in stages over the next several weeks.
EPCS Setup
Prior to sending prescriptions for controlled substances electronically, you must register with the EPCS clearinghouse and assign a provider profile to the provider’s user.
Send a Controlled Substance Prescription Electronically
Each time you send prescriptions for controlled substances electronically, you must enter your EPCS Gold℠ credentials in the Controlled Substance Prescriptions screen. This screen opens when you tap EPCS on the Confirm screen.
Important Note: Your security token must be generated on a separate device than the one you are using to prescribe.
Note: If you have the Electronic Prescribing for Controlled Substances (EPCS) feature, you are required to send these prescriptions using the most restrictive drug schedule. The DEA and a state can assign different drug schedules to the same controlled substance. Either the DEA or the state may have the more restrictive schedule. This sets up a situation where a less restrictive schedule can be selected when creating a prescription. Before sending an EPCS prescription, a check occurs that will find if a more restrictive schedule for the drug exists. When this happens, you will receive a message in the Confirmation screen stating: “A more restrictive class code must be used for this drug.” The message displays when you try to sign the prescription. You will need to exit the Confirmation screen and create a new prescription using the more restrictive class.
You can access the New Prescription screen three ways:
- From a patient’s facesheet, swipe the Medications icon to the right.
- From the patient’s Medication List tap the Add Prescription icon. +
- Tap a patient in the schedule to open their Appointment Card and tap the Add Prescription icon.
User Sending Prescriptions is not the Prescribing Provider
If the user sending the prescriptions is not the provider who prescribed the controlled substance, two radio buttons, Message Prescriber and Prescriber is Present are displayed above the medication on the EPCS screen.
Prescriber is Present
If the provider is present and is able to enter EPCS credentials, select Prescriber is Present and tap EPCS so the provider can enter credentials and continue sending the prescription.
Message Prescriber
If the provider is not present to enter credentials, select Message Prescriber and tap Message. A message will be sent to the prescriber to send the prescription.
Notes:
- You can resend EPCS prescriptions from the eSend Status screen under the following circumstances:
- If you do not have your EPCS credentials when you try to send a prescription for controlled substance electronically.
- If you close the EPCS Gold signing screen without entering your credentials.
- If you receive an error when you send the prescription, you will need to create a new prescription.
- If you have already printed or sent a controlled substance prescription electronically and you print the same prescription again, the printed prescription will contain a watermark noting that it is a copy only and not for dispensing. If needed, create a new prescription.
Risk Factors and Advanced Directives
You can now add and manage risk factors and directives from the mobile and iPhone app.
Risk Factors
The Risk Factors screen displays all risk factors on file for the patient. Here you can add, edit, and delete risk factors and mark them as reviewed.
Tap the Problems icon | Risk Factors.
Directives
The Directives screen displays the advanced directives (e.g., living will, organ donor, etc) on file for the patient. Here you can add, edit, and delete directives and mark them as reviewed.
Tap the Problems icon | Directives.
Copy Phone Number for Private Calls
If you can make calls from your device, we have added the option to Copy for Private Call when you tap a phone number in the patient facesheet.
You can keep your number anonymous by following the steps below:
- Tap the patient’s phone number.
- Tap Copy for Private Call.
- Open your phone app.
- Paste the copied number into your phone app. The patient’s number will be preceded by *67, which will prevent your number from displaying when you call the patient.
- Call the patient.
You still have the option to tap Call, which will call the patient from your phone app as usual.
Appointment Counts
We have updated the Schedule to show appointment counts for each column on the Schedule.