Certification Overview

The contracting process generally consists of the following steps:

1. Sign a Non Disclosure Agreement
   
   Surescripts will send you a Non-Disclosure Agreement form for review and execution. Once you sign the NDA and submit it to the Contracts Manager, it can take several days to weeks for our General Counsel to approve and co-sign the NDA, signaling to the administrative staff that you can be sent the draft Master Agreement and related technical documentation for review.
   
   
2. Sign a Master Agreement for Surescripts services HIPAA Business Associate Agreement, and possibly other documents.
   
   When the NDA is approved, your company will receive draft documentation consisting at least of the following:
   
   • Master Agreement
   • HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (governing treatment of Protected Health Information)
   • Style and Usage Guide (overview of permissible use of Surescripts logo, marks, etc.)
   
   Depending on your desire and timeline to finalize this documentation, this can take anywhere from a day to several months. Many companies execute the documentation with no changes, but if there are issues specifically important to your company, Surescripts will enter into negotiation discussions with you. There is no guarantee that changes you request will be made, and the fewer changes asked to be considered, the faster the contracting process.
   
   
3. Surescripts General Counsel co-signs the Master Agreement
   
   Once the Master Agreement and HIPAA Business Associate Agreement are executed by your company, they go to our General Counsel for execution. Depending on the documentation work load and his other varied responsibilities, this can take a few weeks to process.
   
   
4. You receive a copy of the fully executed documents
   
   After the documentation is fully executed, you will be sent a copy, along with further technical documentation that can help you move forward between the contracting process and when the certification process starts.
   
   
5. Implementation Process Follows Execution of Master Agreement
   
   After our General Counsel signs off on the Master Agreement, etc., you will receive documentation and information on Surescripts Implementation Services (see next section, below).  At that point you can choose to opt-in or opt-out of Surescripts Implementation Services.  In either scenario, you must still develop and test your application on your side before being placed in the queue for the next phase, which is Certification.
   
   

Surescripts' Implementation Services gives you direct access to the collective experience of our Implementation Team, which has overseen the integration of Surescripts' network services within hundreds of e-prescribing applications. This level of expertise is unmatched in the Health IT industry.

This expertise can support you through all steps in the implementation process for any Surescripts service or message type including preparing you for Surescripts certification.

Whether you are establishing an initial connection to the Surescripts network, working through a re-certification, or looking to add additional e-prescribing functionality to your product, Surescripts' Implementation Services Team is ready to assist.

When you work with the Implementation Services Team, you get to take advantage of a pool of experience that has overseen the integration of Surescripts' network services within hundreds of e-prescribing applications - a level of expertise unmatched in the Health IT industry.

Support is available through each and every step in the implementation process for any Surescripts service or message type.  Your assigned Implementation Project Manager can:

• Help you develop of a road-map for the implementation process - from initial assessment and project kickoff, through testing, to your production installation and certification.
• Provide ongoing support during your analysis, development, and testing.
• Offer specific guidance on standards, requirements and best practices to smooth your product development.
• Conduct a readiness review of your application's user interface - and its compliance with Surescripts' implementation standards - as you prepare for certification.

Benefits of This Service

• Reduce Uncertainty: Surescripts' Implementation Services gives you the guidance you need to interpret and incorporate network standards and requirements into your prescribing application.
• Save Time:  From an initial assessment to your final readiness review, ongoing support from your assigned Implementation Project Manager can help you to ramp-up quickly and make more informed decisions on where to apply time and resources during your implementation.
• Personalized Support:  Engaging the Implementation Services Team gives you access to knowledge and expertise that can be adapted to reflect your specific needs through each and every step of the implementation process.

 Read our Implementation Case Study.

For more information, including pricing, contact alliances@surescripts.com.

Compliance has always been an integral part of Surescripts' work and the value we bring to the e-prescribing industry. The Surescripts Certification Policy and Compliance function is dedicated to formalizing and centralizing compliance and certification requirements management for all Participants (Technology Vendors, PBM/Payers, and Pharmacies) on the Surescripts network.

The Certification Policy and Compliance team works to validate that all connected Participants implement and certify against a standard set of requirements. Once certified, the team monitors the Participants to make sure all Participants remain in compliance with the standard set of requirements. Our goal is efficiency and consistency across the network, so all Participants can meet the highest measures of patient safety, end-to-end reliability, and electronic prescription quality.

By adhering to the approved Surescripts certification requirements, Participants are assured they are in compliance with transaction standards, Surescripts network and application requirements, and Surescripts connectivity requirements. Adherence also enables Participants to send quality electronic prescriptions across the network.

What principles serve as the basis of the Surescripts Certification Policy and Compliance function?

The Certification Policy and Compliance function is focused on the following core foundational and guiding principles:

Objectivity - as defined by the following Foundational Principles:

• Patient Safety / Quality of the end-to-end Surescripts network.
• Efficiency of the end-to-end Surescripts network.
• Cost effectiveness of the Surescripts network.

Neutrality - requirements that are based on furthering e-prescribing as a whole versus some groups having undue influence.

Transparency - requirements are published and provided to Participants during implementation; Participants can view the requirements process.

Auditability - requirements are based on testable events.

Legality - requirements are aligned with government mandates related to e-prescribing functionality.

How does the Surescripts certification policy help Participants?

Our Certification process gets Participants successfully connected to the Surescripts network by:

• Being efficient and thorough.
• Meeting the needs of the entire Surescripts connected community
• Aiding our Participants' readiness to participate in government programs such as HITECH, MMA, Part D, and MIPPA.
• Adhering to the Foundational and Guiding Principles

Once Participants are connected to the Surescripts network, our goal is that all Participants remain connected for everyone's benefit. The Surescripts Certification Policy focuses on patient safety, efficiency and reliability on the network, and aids in our Participants continued participation in government incentive programs.

By holding all Participants equally accountable for meeting certification requirements, our Participants can send and receive the highest quality electronic prescriptions and e-prescribing continues to progress overall as in industry.

What Are the Surescripts Certification requirements based on?

The Surescripts Certification Requirements are created based on the following:

• Surescripts network and application requirements.
• Transaction standards organizations: ANSI ASC X12, HL7, and NCPDP
• Surescripts connectivity requirements
• The Certification Policy Foundational and Guiding Principles

When creating and updating the requirements, Surescripts receives input from our connected Participant stakeholders across the industry and reviews all submitted certification requirement requests. We strive to implement certification requirements that meet the needs of all Participant types, are consistent with our Foundational and Guiding principles, and drive e-prescribing process efficiency. We solicit feedback from our Participants via Surescripts workshops and participant surveys.

How does the Compliance function impact Participants?
The Surescripts Certification Policy and Compliance team performs regularly scheduled and ad hoc compliance checks as needed for all Participants on the Surescripts network. The team utilizes defined compliance review processes and distributes standard communications.  If any compliance issues are identified, we work with Participants to develop remediation plans to address the issues as quickly and efficiency as possible.

Components of the compliance check function include:

• Execution of compliance checks.
• Creation of Participant compliance reports.
• Out of compliance notifications based on error trending.
• Development of remediation plans.
• Distribution of Participant Certificates of Compliance
• Execution of the decertification process and removal from the Surescripts network based on a Participant's failure to meet a remediation plan
• Execution of a Participant's reinstatement on the Surescripts network when all compliance requirements are met

By working together, all e-prescribing Participants can continue to provide the highest quality standards and products for all patients, prescribers, and pharmacies using the Surescripts network.

In addition to promoting industry standards, Surescripts certification focuses on patient safety, efficiency of the electronic prescribing process and ease of use by end-users.

The certification process starts after Surescripts and the software vendor have completed the contracting process (see above) and the software vendor has developed and tested its application. Certification concentrates on message format and workflow. The software vendor seeking certification is responsible for modifying/building the electronic prescribing application in accordance with the Surescripts Implementation Guides (based on the NCPDP SCRIPT Standard) and qualitative requirements. Surescripts provides documentation and testing tools for the software vendor and also conducts certification to ensure all the requirements are met. The software vendor is responsible for development, testing, and QA of its application, however Surescripts also offers Implementation Services for guidance and support on interpreting and incorporating network standards and requirements into your prescribing application.

Learn more about Surescripts Certification by message type or contact Surescripts about certifying your product.