Free EPCS Solution
Prescribers and Pharmacies can start ePrescribing, including EPCS, right away on WENO Online without breaking the bank.
WENO is an ePrescribing intermediary that also offers WENO Online, our stand-alone ePrescribing system accessible from the web. It has two approved DEA audits. One for prescriber use and the other for pharmacy use. These audits can be found at online.wenoexchange.com and it is all the proof the DEA requires to give the users confidence in registering and using it for EPCS purposes.
EPCS stands for electronically prescribed controlled substances and the DEA establishes rules for all DEA registrants. DEA registrants can be prescribers or pharmacies, both are necessary participants in EPCS.
While each state has their own rules surrounding ePrescribing, on Jan 1, 2021 a federal law called Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act requires EPCS for Schedule II-V drugs that are covered under Medicare Part D. This means it is true for all states.
At a high level, DEA registrant prescribers are required to:
- Check to see if the system they use for EPCS has been duly audited.
- They must be granted the EPCS role by another (or 2 others if institutional).
- They must complete an identification verification process.
- They must digitally sign their EPCS orders via two factor authentication.
- It must be transmitted electronically to a pharmacy system with an audit.
Pharmacy Free EPCS Account
Pharmacies that receive their first EPCS orders from a WENO prescriber will be faxed instructions on how to retrieve & process it on WENO Online to be compliant.
WENO gives all pharmacies a free account until such time (if ever) as their software system they normally use connects directly to WENO’s ePrescribing intermediary service. See our section on APIs for pharmacy technology vendors (PTVs). This allows pharmacies to stay compliant with the new law while allowing prescribers the freedom to use WENO Online instead of another system that goes through the Surescript’s network. WENO’s intermediary service is independent from the Surescript’s network.
At a high-level, DEA registrant pharmacies are required to do these things to process EPCS orders:
- Check to see if the system they retrieve the EPCS on has been duly audited.
- If #1 is true, then the pharmacist must access the EPCS order and verify if it is legal.
- If #2 is true, then they must record its status as if it was a paper prescription.
- And finally, if the prescription was created electronically, it must remain electronic.
WENO Online is the most economical way to ePrescribe with a free and paid option for prescriber users and no charge for pharmacies.
