New York, NY – April 14, 2015 – SigmaCare today announced it is the first electronic health record (EHR) provider serving the senior and post-acute care market to integrate with DrFirst, a leader in e-medication management software, to provide electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) capabilities for the SigmaCare Technology Platform. With this enhancement, providers using SigmaCare can address and adhere to the critical workflows required for compliance with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) ePrescribing Mandate that was originally effective March 27, 2015 but was recently extended one year. Although officially announced today, the partnership was established in conjunction with SigmaCare’s introduction of their complete ePrescribing solution in January.
The ePrescribing Mandate and the Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing (I-STOP) regulations are intended to improve patient safety as well as to help reduce prescription medication abuse and over-use, a leading cause of drug overdose deaths in New York State.
With SigmaCare’s solution, senior and post-acute providers can now meet the new workflow requirements established through the ePrescribing Mandate, including direct physician sign-off for controlled substances as well as non-controlled substance prescriptions, commonly referred to as “legend drugs.” By leveraging a mobile application within SigmaCare’s e-prescribing solution, physicians can receive order requests, view resident information and sign-off on orders from anywhere, driving timely approvals and eliminating dispensing delays. SigmaCare’s solution also includes e-prescribing of retail prescriptions for discharged residents, also required under the mandate. This feature allows providers to send discharge prescriptions to retail pharmacies when residents are discharged to improve medication adherence while at home and help prevent rehospitalizations.
SigmaCare partnered with DrFirst to leverage their EPCS Gold℠ technology for controlled substance e-prescribing, which will be fully integrated within the SigmaCare Technology Platform. Through this partnership, prescribers can perform the necessary steps for provider two-factor authentication and approve orders for controlled substances for in-stay residents and discharges. DrFirst is the industry leader in EPCS, and currently processes nearly half of all controlled substance electronic prescriptions nationwide.
“The uptake of e-prescribing for legend drugs was a major change in the healthcare industry several years ago. Now, with controlled substance e-prescribing capabilities fully available and compliant with Drug Enforcement Agency requirements, EHRs like SigmaCare are paving the way for a significant shift in provider access to EPCS,” said G. Cameron Deemer, president of DrFirst. “By offering e-prescribing for legend drugs and controlled substances, SigmaCare is delivering better management of all patient medications within one workflow.”
“The New York State ePrescribing Mandate will be a game-changer for providers, and is likely a precedent for similar legislation across the country as the industry moves away from paper-based prescriptions,” said Steve Pacicco, CEO of SigmaCare. “By offering a complete ePrescribing solution including DrFirst’s EPCS Gold technology, we can help providers eliminate the likelihood of transcription mistakes, deliver medications more quickly and, ultimately, enhance patient clinical outcomes through more efficient prescribing processes from admission to discharge.”
About DrFirst
DrFirst pioneers technology solutions that inform the doctor-patient point of encounter, optimizing provider access to patient information, enhancing the doctor’s clinical view of the patient, and improving care delivery and clinical outcomes. Our growth is driven by a commitment to innovation, security, and reliability across a wide array of services, including Medication Management, Medication Adherence, and Secure Communication and Collaboration. We are proud of our track record of service to more than 320 EMR/EHR/HIS vendors and an extensive network of providers, hospitals and patients. For more information, please visit www.drfirst.com.
For media inquiries, please contact Ellie Whims, DrFirst senior marketing manager, at (301) 231-8510 ext. 2808 or at ewhims@drfirst.com.
About SigmaCare
SigmaCare partners with senior and post-acute care providers to achieve success in their local markets by delivering a comprehensive technology platform with electronic health records (EHR) and advanced clinical decision support, enterprise analytics, financials and referral source management solutions. SigmaCare partners with national, regional and independent providers to create custom implementations that streamline workflow, support interoperability and ensure high adoption. With industry insight and a commitment to ongoing consultative and responsive service, SigmaCare enables providers to lower operating costs, increase revenue and meet regulatory requirements, all while enhancing care delivery.
To learn more about how SigmaCare helps senior and post-acute care providers achieve their clinical and financial goals, contact (877) 432-5858 or info@sigmacare.com, or visit www.sigmacare.com.