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Commission approves Doctor First as electronic data intermediary for Connecticut
Summary
After a technical‑connection demonstration and Q&A on security and pharmacy connectivity, the commission approved Doctor First to operate in Connecticut as an electronic data intermediary facilitating e‑prescribing and prescription routing.
The Connecticut Commission of Pharmacy voted to accept Doctor First as an approved electronic data intermediary (EDI), following a presentation on the company’s technology, security certifications and national footprint.
Nick Barger, identified as Doctor First’s product lead and a pharmacist by training, told commissioners the company processes about 240,000,000 prescriptions annually across roughly 2,000 hospitals and interfaces with more than 270 electronic health records. He said Doctor First uses industry security standards (SOC and HITRUST) and implements a zero‑trust architecture, multifactor authentication and FIPS‑level encryption. Barger stated plainly: “We do not sell or monetize patient or prescriber data.”
Commissioners asked how Doctor First handles controlled‑substance e‑prescribing and prescriber authorization. Barger said the company’s platform is certified to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s electronic prescribing requirements (21 CFR Part 1311) and that prescribers undergo identity proofing and receive second‑factor credentials as required to transmit controlled‑substance prescriptions. Commissioners also asked whether prescriptions could fail to arrive electronically if a pharmacy lacked compatible connectivity; Barger acknowledged that could occur where a pharmacy is not connected but said Doctor First routes prescriptions broadly via existing partners to reach pharmacies.
After a brief technical difficulty with the remote connection, the commission moved to accept Doctor First’s application and voted to approve the company as an electronic data intermediary in Connecticut.
Commissioners said staff would follow up on connection details and that approving Doctor First will expand direct routing options for prescribers who choose the company’s platform.
