iPrescribe by DrFirst

DrFirst has been at the forefront of transforming electronic prescribing, particularly for controlled substances, where the stakes are high in terms of security, compliance, and patient safety. Before 2010, federal restrictions barred providers from e-prescribing Schedule II-V medications, creating inefficiencies and dual workflows for practices. DrFirst played a pivotal role in overcoming these challenges by helping design and implement the nation’s first end-to-end system for electronic prescribing for controlled substances (EPCS). 

In 2009, DrFirst, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Brandeis University, and Berkshire Health Systems, launched a groundbreaking pilot program. This initiative met the DEA’s stringent requirements for authentication, non-repudiation, and data integrity, providing a secure, scalable model for nationwide adoption. The pilot’s success demonstrated how DrFirst could meet both provider needs and DEA standards, enabling the first-ever electronic transmission of a controlled substance prescription. This achievement paved the way for the DEA’s 2010 Interim Final Rule, legalizing EPCS. 

Building on this innovation, DrFirst launched iPrescribe, a mobile app that meets the same rigorous security and compliance standards as its desktop counterpart, offering providers the flexibility to prescribe safely and securely from anywhere. With this comprehensive approach, DrFirst has become a leader in e-prescribing, now informing one of four new prescriptions in the United States. Through its continued innovation, DrFirst ensures providers can e-prescribe controlled and non-controlled substances efficiently, securely, and on the go. 

Our solutions help 100 million patients a year and are used by more than 420,000 prescribers, 71,000 pharmacies, 270 EHRs and health information systems, and overmore than 2,000 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada.