Developer Documentation

API keys & authentication

PrescribeNow supports two authentication methods for integrations:

1. JWT tokens — For user-initiated actions (e.g. a physician logged into your EMR). Obtain via login, use as Bearer token.
2. API keys — For machine-to-machine integrations (batch jobs, background sync). Long-lived credentials scoped to your organization.

How to get an API key

1. Log in to PrescribeNow at https://prescribenow.icyrock-2519c9f7.canadacentral.azurecontainerapps.io
2. Go to Settings → API keys (or ask your platform/tenant admin)
3. Click Create API key, choose environment (test or production), and optionally add a name
4. Copy the key immediately — it is shown only once. Store it securely.

Using the key

Send the API key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer pn_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Test vs production

API keys are scoped to either sandbox (test) or production:

• Sandbox — Use for development and integration testing. Data is isolated and safe to experiment with.
• Production — Use for live prescriptions. Requires verified organization and active account.

Base URLs are the same; the key itself determines which environment your requests hit.

Message formats

PrescribeNow uses JSON for all API requests and responses. We do not support HL7.

• JSON (REST) — Primary format. Simple, well-documented, easy to integrate.
• FHIR R4/R5 — Supported. Submit prescriptions as FHIR MedicationRequest with contained Patient. Invalid messages return FHIR OperationOutcome.

All endpoints use Content-Type: application/json.

Sending data

Submit a prescription in a single call. Include patient data inline — we find existing patients by health card or create new ones automatically. You need the pharmacy ID (from the pharmacy owner's account).

1. Create prescription (single call)

Requires a valid JWT (user logged in) or API key. Pharmacy must exist.

POST /rx-api/api/v1/prescriptions
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "pharmacy_id": "uuid-of-pharmacy",
  "patient": {
    "first_name": "Jane",
    "last_name": "Doe",
    "date_of_birth": "1985-03-15",
    "gender": "female",
    "address": "123 Main St",
    "province": "ON",
    "postal_code": "M5V 1A1",
    "health_card_number": "1234-567-890-AB",
    "phone": "416-555-1234"
  },
  "drug_name": "Amoxicillin 500mg",
  "drug_code": "DIN-12345678",
  "dosage": "500mg",
  "route": "oral",
  "frequency": "every 8 hours",
  "duration": "7 days",
  "quantity": 21,
  "refills": 0,
  "instructions": "Take with food"
}

For cash-paying patients, omit health_card_number or set it to null.

1b. Create prescription via FHIR (MedicationRequest)

Submit a FHIR R4/R5 MedicationRequest. Patient must be a contained resource. Pass pharmacy_id as a query parameter. Invalid messages return FHIR OperationOutcome.

POST /rx-api/api/v1/fhir/MedicationRequest?pharmacy_id=uuid-of-pharmacy
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>
Content-Type: application/fhir+json

{
  "resourceType": "MedicationRequest",
  "status": "active",
  "intent": "order",
  "medicationCodeableConcept": {
    "text": "Amoxicillin 500mg",
    "coding": [{ "code": "DIN-12345678", "display": "Amoxicillin 500mg" }]
  },
  "subject": { "reference": "#patient-1" },
  "contained": [{
    "resourceType": "Patient",
    "id": "patient-1",
    "name": [{ "family": "Doe", "given": ["Jane"] }],
    "birthDate": "1985-03-15",
    "identifier": [{ "system": "http://hl7.org/fhir/sid/ca-ohin", "value": "1234-567-890-AB" }]
  }],
  "dosageInstruction": [{
    "doseAndRate": [{ "doseQuantity": { "value": 500, "unit": "mg" } }],
    "route": { "text": "oral" },
    "timing": { "repeat": { "frequency": 3, "period": 8, "periodUnit": "h" } },
    "patientInstruction": "Take with food"
  }],
  "dispenseRequest": {
    "quantity": { "value": 21, "unit": "tab" },
    "numberOfRepeatsAllowed": 0
  }
}

2. Send prescription to pharmacy

POST /rx-api/api/v1/prescriptions/{id}/send
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>

Retrieving data

List prescriptions

GET /rx-api/api/v1/prescriptions
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>

Get a single prescription

GET /rx-api/api/v1/prescriptions/{id}
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>

Search patients

Search by health card, last name, and/or date of birth. The POST /patients endpoint also exists for standalone patient creation if needed.

GET /rx-api/api/v1/patients/search?health_card=1234-567&last_name=Doe&dob=1985-03-15
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>

List pharmacies

GET /rx-api/api/v1/pharmacies
Authorization: Bearer <your-jwt-or-api-key>

Code examples

Login and create a prescription. Select your language:

# 1. Login to get JWT
TOKEN=$(curl -s -X POST https://prescribenow-auth.example.com/auth/login \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"you@clinic.ca","password":"yourpassword"}' \
  | jq -r '.token')

# 2. Create prescription (patient inline; find-or-create by health card)
curl -X POST https://prescribenow-rx.example.com/api/v1/prescriptions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "pharmacy_id": "uuid-of-pharmacy",
    "patient": {
      "first_name": "Jane",
      "last_name": "Doe",
      "date_of_birth": "1985-03-15",
      "health_card_number": "1234-567-890-AB"
    },
    "drug_name": "Amoxicillin 500mg",
    "dosage": "500mg",
    "quantity": 21,
    "instructions": "Take with food"
  }'