Register for EPCS

Open User Administration

Open User Administration from the Tools menu in PCC EHR.

View the Prescriber’s Account Details

Find the prescriber’s account in the list, then double-click on it to view the details.

Verify the Prescriber’s Name, NPI, and DEA Number

On the first page of account details, verify that the prescriber’s NPI and DEA numbers are present and correct.

Also, check that the prescriber’s name is spelled correctly and recorded in the right fields. For example, the prescriber’s professional suffix should appear in the “Professional Suffix” field, not in the “Last Name” field. If the prescriber’s name is not recorded correctly, it could cause delays in the EPCS registration process.

Verify that EPCS is Enabled

Click on the PCC eRx tab within the account details and verify that the “EPCS” checkbox is checked.

Save and Exit User Administration

Once the prescriber’s account details have been verified, save and exit User Administration.

Go to the Administration Page in PCC eRx

Open the Rx Queue in PCC EHR, then click on the Administration tab.

Click EPCS Setup

Click on the EPCS Setup link.

Find and Edit the Prescriber’s eRx Account

Search for the prescriber, then click on the Edit link beneath their account details.

Enroll the Prescriber

Click the Enroll Prescriber button, then enter the email address that the prescriber will use to receive communication from Exostar. Exostar is the credential services provider that will authenticate the prescriber’s identity for EPCS.

Click the “Continue” button to save the prescriber’s email address and finish enrolling them for EPCS.

No Seats Remain: If you receive a message that “No seats remain” when attempting to enroll a prescriber for EPCS, contact PCC Support to order a new hard token for the prescriber. This can happen if your practice is out of hard tokens, or if tokens you ordered long ago expired before you could register them.

Open the My Settings Page in PCC eRx

Log into PCC EHR and go to the Rx Queue.

Click on the My Settings tab to view your EPCS Status and access the next step of the registration process.

Click “Set Up My EPCS Password”

Click the “Set up my EPCS password” button to launch the next step of the EPCS registration process.

Create a Password

Create a password that meets all of the requirements listed on the screen.

You will enter this password every time you send an electronic prescription for a controlled substance.

Save Your Password

Click the “Submit” button to save your password.

Move On to the Next Step or Pause and Exit Registration

Click the “Begin Exostar ID Proofing” button to proceed to the next step of the EPCS registration process, or click “Cancel” to pause and exit without losing your progress.

If you choose to pause and exit, you can resume registration later from the My Settings page in PCC eRx.

Begin Identity Proofing

If you just finished creating your EPCS password, click the “Begin Exostar ID Proofing” button to launch the identity proofing process.

If you are starting this step from the My Settings page in PCC eRx, click the “Begin Identity Proofing” button in Step 3 of the EPCS Status section.

Enter Your Hard Token’s Serial Number

Once in the ID Proofing window, enter the serial number from the back of your hard token.

The serial number should begin with four letters and end with eight numbers.

Create Custom Names for Your Tokens

After entering the serial number from the back of your hard token, create a custom name for it. If you plan to set up your smartphone as a second factor of authentication for EPCS, also called a soft token or mobile credential, set up a custom name for that too.

Once you complete EPCS registration, the user interface in PCC eRx will refer to your tokens by their custom names, so choose names that will help you remember which token is which. You will have to indicate which token you are using as a second factor of authentication every time you send an electronic prescription for a controlled substance.

Choose an ID Proofing Method

After setting up your tokens, choose an identity proofing method. You can choose between Experian ID Proofing and Webcam Proofing.

Experian ID Proofing: Experian ID Proofing asks you a series of questions based on your Experian credit bureau history. You have two chances to answer the questions correctly. If you are able to answer enough questions correctly, you can proceed to the last steps of the EPCS registration process and start sending electronic prescriptions for controlled substances the same day.*

Webcam Proofing: Webcam Proofing is a video interview conducted with Exostar, the credential services provider that authenticates PCC prescribers for EPCS. Webcam Proofing is often more straightforward than Experian ID Proofing but takes longer to complete because it is contingent on the interviewers’ availability.

If you attempt Experian ID Proofing and are not able to answer enough questions correctly, you will be offered a Webcam Proofing session instead.

* Pharmacies may take up to 48 hours after you complete EPCS registration to recognize you as someone who is authorized to send electronic prescriptions for controlled substances on behalf of your practice.

Click the “Experian ID Proofing” Button

Click the “Experian ID Proofing” button in the token setup window to proceed to identity proofing based on your credit history.

Agree to Exostar’s Terms and Conditions

Read Exostar’s terms and conditions, then click the “I Agree” button to proceed to the next step.

Exostar sends a copy of the agreement and supplemental materials to the email address that your practice administrator used to enroll you for EPCS.

Enter Your Personal Information

Fill out the personal details form with your current home address, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number. Optionally add a phone number, too.

This information is solely used to look up your Experian credit bureau history for the purpose of generating identity proofing questions during the EPCS registration process. Neither PCC nor Exostar will store this information.

When you have finished filling out the form, click “I Agree” to proceed to the next step.

Your Name Must Match What Experian Has on File: Your name spelling on the personal details form, which comes from your user account details in PCC EHR, must match what the Experian credit bureau has on file. The easiest way to verify that your name on the form matches what Experian has on file is to click “I Agree” and attempt to proceed to the next step. If your name does not match what Experian has on file, you will not be allowed to proceed with identity proofing and you should contact PCC Support for assistance.

Confirm Your Identity

Answer the questions generated from your Experian credit bureau history to confirm your identity. The questions might include current or past loan payment amounts, addresses, or the names of financial institutions with which you are or have been affiliated.

Click “Next” to submit your responses and proceed to token registration.

Two Attempts: If you do not answer enough questions correctly on the first try, you can follow the steps in this section a second time and make another attempt. After two unsuccessful attempts, you must schedule a Webcam Proofing session instead.

Register Your Tokens or Schedule Webcam Proofing

If you pass Experian ID Proofing, you can move on to registering your tokens as additional factors of authentication for EPCS.

If you are not able to pass Experian ID Proofing, complete Webcam Proofing instead.

Click the “Webcam Proofing” Button

Click the “Webcam Proofing” button in the token setup window to schedule a video interview with Exostar.

If you encountered issues earlier in the EPCS registration process, you might be starting this step from the My Settings page in PCC eRx. In this case, click the “Continue ID Proofing” button in Step 3 of the EPCS Status section, then proceed to Webcam Proofing.

Agree to Exostar’s Terms and Conditions

Read Exostar’s terms and conditions, then click the “I Agree” button to proceed to the next step.

Exostar sends a copy of the agreement and supplemental materials to the email address that your practice administrator used to enroll you for EPCS.

Proceed to Scheduling

Click the “Proceed to Scheduling” button on the My Settings page in PCC eRx to schedule your Webcam Proofing session with Exostar.

Select an Appointment Date and Time

Choose a date and time for your Webcam Proofing session with Exostar.

Then, click the “Continue” button.

Enter Your Personal Contact Details

Enter your personal contact information.

You must enter your first and last name, email address, and phone number. You can optionally enter the name of the practice where you work, and comments for the Exostar interviewer.

Confirm Your Appointment

Click the “Confirm” button to finish scheduling your Webcam Proofing session with Exostar.

Optionally use the “Add to Calendar” link on the confirmation page to add the appointment to your personal calendar.

When you are done, close the window.

Prepare for the Video Interview

Prepare ahead of time for the success of your video interview with Exostar:

• Check that you have a valid and unexpired piece of photo ID that is either issued or accepted by the U.S. government. Driver’s licenses are the most common form of identification used for Webcam Proofing.
• Check that the name on your photo ID matches the name on your PCC EHR user account. If it does not, contact PCC Support as soon as possible for help resolving the discrepancy.
• Have a working webcam or smartphone with a camera.
• Run a WebEx system test before your appointment.
• Prepare a place to write down the activation code you will receive at the end of your live video interview.

Check Your Email for the Meeting Link

Shortly before your video interview with Exostar, you will receive a WebEx meeting link at the email address you provided when you scheduled your appointment.

Join the Meeting at the Appointed Time

When it’s time for your appointment, click the link in your email to join the meeting. Connect to video for the meeting but do not connect to audio.

Answer the Call from Exostar

When Exostar is ready to start the interview, the interviewer will call the number you provided when you scheduled your appointment. Answer this call to begin the interview.

Participate in the Interview

The Exostar interviewer will check your photo ID and ask you questions to confirm your identity.

If You Pass: If you are successful, you will receive an activation code that you must enter into PCC eRx to confirm that you passed Webcam Proofing.

If You Are Unsuccessful: If you are unsuccessful, learn the reason why from the interviewer, then contact PCC Support for assistance.

Write Down Your Activation Code

If you successfully pass Webcam Proofing, the interviewer will provide you with an activation code at the end of the session.

Write down the code somewhere you can easily reference it.

Enter Your Activation Code into PCC eRx

Open the My Settings page in PCC eRx and click the “Continue ID Proofing” button. Enter the activation code from your Webcam Proofing session, then proceed to registering your tokens as additional factors of authentication for EPCS.

Get Your Hard Token in Hand

Get your hard token out and have it ready in hand.

As a reminder, your hard token is a plastic fob with a unique serial number that generates one-time passwords. You started setting up your hard token in a previous step of the EPCS registration process when you entered its serial number and gave it a custom name.

Press the Button to Generate a New One-Time Password

Press the button on your hard token to generate a new one-time password. One-time passwords are six-digit numeric codes tied to your device’s serial number that are only valid for thirty seconds.

Enter the Password into PCC eRx

Type the password into the field in PCC eRx labeled “One-Time Password 1”.

Press the Button Again to Generate Another Password

Press the button on your hard token again to generate another password.

Enter the Second Password into PCC eRx

Type the second password into the field in PCC eRx labeled “One-Time Password 2”.

Click “Submit”

Click the “Submit” button, then “Complete”, to finish registering your hard token.

Get Your Smartphone In Hand

Get your smartphone out and have it ready in hand.

Enter Your Cell Phone Number and Email into PCC eRx

On the Mobile Credential Registration page, set the country where your cell phone number was issued, then type in your number and your email address.

You do not need to use any punctuation when typing in your phone number.

Click “Register Phone”

Click the “Register Phone” button to save your contact information and initiate the part of the process that takes place on your smartphone.

A blue loading bar labeled “Registration in progress…” will display in PCC eRx until you have finished the steps on your smartphone.

Tap the Authy Notification on Your Smartphone

Pick up your smartphone and tap the push notification from Authy to open the app.

No Notification? Follow Manual Set Up Instructions: If you have the Authy app installed but do not receive a push notification, you must manually set up your soft token. To learn how, follow the instructions in the next section, Manually Register Your Soft Token.

Don’t Have the Authy App? Download It Now: If you do not have the Authy app installed on your smartphone, you will receive a text message with a download link instead of a push notification. Open the text message, click on the link, and install the Authy app before moving on to the next step.

Tap the Notification Icon in the Authy App

Tap the notification bell icon in the Authy app.

The red counter on the notification bell indicates that you have a new request to add a token.

Approve the Pending Request

Tap the pending request from PCC eRx to approve it. Then, tap the green “Approve” button to confirm.

Once you approve the pending request, a PCC eRx soft token appears under your PCC account within the Authy app.

Request Timeout: If the pending request from PCC eRx times out before you have a chance to approve it, tap “Exit” in the top left corner of the screen, then jump to “Step 2: Click the Red ‘X’ Next to the Blue Loading Bar in PCC eRx” in Manually Register Your Soft Token.

Click “Complete” in PCC eRx

Once you have successfully set up your soft token, click the “Complete” button in PCC eRx to move on to the next phase of the EPCS registration process, Register Your Phone Number as a Backup Authentication Method for Exostar Account Access.

Open the Authy App

Find the Authy app on your smartphone and open it.

You can access the app from your home screen or by searching for it on your device.

Click the Red ‘X’ Next to the Blue Loading Bar in PCC eRx

In PCC eRx, click the red ‘X’ button next to the blue loading bar.

Locate the PCC eRx Soft Token in Authy

In the Authy app, locate your PCC eRx soft token.

The PCC eRx soft token is a one-time password generator labeled “PCC eRx”. The soft token generates a new one-time password every thirty seconds.

Enter a One-Time Password from Your Soft Token into PCC eRx

Enter a one-time password from your PCC eRx soft token in Authy into the “One-Time Password 1” field in PCC eRx.

Click “Submit”

After entering the one-time password from your soft token into PCC eRx, click the “Submit” button.

Click “Complete”

Click the “Complete” button to move on to the next phase of the EPCS registration process.

Choose How You Want to Receive Phone Communications From Exostar

Pick an option from the “Delivery Method” drop-down to indicate how you want to receive messages from Exostar. You can receive messages by text or phone call.

Exostar will text or call you with an authentication code should you need to use this method to access your account.

Enter Your Phone Number and Country Code

Enter your phone number and select the country where it was issued.

Then, confirm your phone number by typing it a second time.

Click “Send Code”

Click the “Send Code” button to receive a verification code from Exostar.

You will receive the verification code by text or phone call depending on which delivery method you chose.

Get the Verification Code

Check your phone for a text or phone call from Exostar containing your verification code.

Resend Code: If you do not receive a verification code from Exostar, check that you entered your phone number correctly, then click the “Resend Code” button.

Enter the Verification Code

Enter the verification code from Exostar into the “Verification Code” field in PCC eRx.

Click “Submit”

Click the “Submit” button to finish registering your phone number as a backup authentication method for Exostar account access.

Click “Complete”

Click the “Complete” button to move on to the final phase of the EPCS registration process.