FAQs
Surescripts has automated the Change of Vendor (COV) process for the Directory, replacing the previous manual workflow. EHR vendors and health systems now register new SPIs directly, no legacy vendor approval required, and Surescripts automatically reroutes refill and change request messages to the right destination.
This FAQ covers how the new process works, what you need to do to register providers, and what to expect during the transition.
Process Overview
Three key changes:
- You register new SPIs instead of requesting ownership of existing ones.
- Legacy vendor approval is not required.
- RxRenewalRequest and RxChangeRequest messages are rerouted to your new SPIs after you send a NewRx message.
No. The previous COV process is being replaced.
- Non-Learning Directory customers must use the fully automated process.
- Learning Directory customers must register providers at primary locations and pre-learn secondary locations.
No. Because you are registering new SPIs, not requesting ownership of existing ones; therefore, legacy vendor approval is not needed.
Use the automated process regardless of how many providers you are onboarding or taking live.
Registration
Message rerouting cannot begin until three business days after Surescripts notifies the legacy vendor. Registering at least seven days early ensures notification goes out before your providers' active start date.
Yes. You may register providers anytime on or before their active start date. However:
- Surescripts will send legacy vendor notification within 24 hours of SPI creation.
- Message rerouting will begin three business days after notification is sent and a NewRx has been sent.
Yes. The Directory uses UTC (12:00 AM – 11:59 PM UTC).
For example, a customer in Portland, OR registering two providers with an active start date of 2/1/2026:
- Provider 1 registered at 1:30 PM Pacific (9:30 PM UTC) — active start date is 2/1/2026.
- Provider 2 registered at 5:30 PM Pacific (1:30 AM UTC on 2/2) — active start date is 2/2/2026, not 2/1.
Yes. Providers can prescribe on their active start date and will receive refill and change requests sent to the new SPI. However, rerouted refill and change requests from legacy SPIs will not begin until three business days after legacy vendor notification.
RxRenewalRequest and RxChangeRequest messages sent to the legacy SPI will be rerouted to your new SPI beginning on its active start date.
Contact Surescripts Support to discuss your situation.
Rerouting Messages
Only RxRenewalRequest and RxChangeRequest messages. Rerouting applies exclusively to e-prescribing.
Pharmacies following best practices send RxRenewalRequest and RxChangeRequest messages to the SPI from the related NewRx message.
- If that SPI has the correct service level, Surescripts delivers the message as addressed.
- If that SPI is disabled or missing the correct service level, Surescripts reroutes the message to the preferred SPI (primary SPI).
The pharmacy receives an error response and will use a manual workflow (phone or fax) to request the refill or change.
No. Rerouting cannot be disabled.
No. The message content stays the same, including the SPI in the header. The message is simply delivered to a different SPI.
Yes, as long as those locations have been pre-learned or already learned.
You can find rerouted messages in Workbench Message Search. Search for messages with a log code of "Re-routed to primary prescriber location." The <TO> element in the message header will contain the legacy vendor's SPI, while the provider information will reflect your new SPI.
Automated Hybrid Process (Learning Directory Customers Only)
A short-term option for Learning Directory customers who have not yet implemented the PreLearnProviderLocation message. It uses key components of the fully automated process while Surescripts Support manually manages secondary location rerouting.
Only if you are a Learning Directory customer and have not yet implemented the PreLearnProviderLocation message.
No. The hybrid process is a temporary bridge. Once you implement PreLearnProviderLocation, you will use the fully automated process.
| Fully Automated | Automated Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
Support case required | No | Yes |
Secondary location handling | Automated via PreLearnProviderLocation | Manual via Surescripts Support |
What are the steps?
- Submit a support case to Surescripts with each provider's name, NPI, and primary and secondary location addresses. If you don't know your providers' secondary locations, request a Provider Record Report (PRR).
- Surescripts Support will schedule updates to legacy SPIs and notify legacy vendors before your providers' active start date.
- Ensure your providers are ready to prescribe by their active start date.
- On the active start date, messages begin rerouting to your new SPIs' primary addresses. Messages will route to secondary locations as they are learned.
The PreLearnProviderLocation Message (Learning Directory Customers Only)
A message that creates a learned location in the Directory before a provider sends a NewRx from a secondary location. This ensures pharmacies do not send refill and change requests to legacy SPIs after providers start using your system.
No. This message only applies to Learning Directory customers.
Pharmacies will continue sending RxRenewalRequest and RxChangeRequest messages to legacy vendor SPIs. Those messages will not reach the provider.
All vendors will be given time to implement PreLearnProviderLocation. In the meantime, Learning Directory customers should use the automated hybrid process.
Yes.
Legacy Vendor Notifications
Contact Surescripts Support to have the service levels re-added to your SPI.
Business days. Holidays are counted as business days.
No. Refill and Change will be published on the SPI with the highest percentage of NewRx traffic over a rolling two-day period.
Contact Surescripts Support. Support will work with you to update service levels so that Refill and Change are assigned to the correct SPI.
Primary Flags and the Download File
The Primary flag determines two things:
- Rerouting destination: Which SPI receives rerouted RxRenewalRequest and RxChangeRequest messages when the addressed SPI is disabled or missing the correct service level.
- Download file visibility: Which of a provider's SPIs at a given standardized address will show Refill and/or Change in the download file.
No. Refill and Change are published on only one of a provider's SPIs per standardized address. When multiple SPIs have those service levels, NewRx volume over a rolling two-day period determines which SPI gets them.
Refill will appear on your new SPI once the provider has sent at least five NewRx messages from any SPI registered at the same standardized address, which includes SPIs that don't belong to your account.