DEA ePCS Error Messages and Troubleshooting

This section includes general information regarding signing outpatient controlled substance orders for the Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substance features (ePCS), errors the user might see, and some possible causes.

Possible hardware problems:

 

What does a user need to be able to digitally sign outpatient controlled substances prescriptions?

Providers must have the following to be able to prescribe outpatient controlled substance medication orders:

 

Is the user prescribing from a remote location?

The ActivClient software must be installed on the remote workstation or ePCS will not work.

 

What do the error messages that the user might see during the signing process mean?

 

Error Message

Cause

1.

Order for controlled substance could not be completed. Provider does not have a current, valid DEA# on record and is ineligible to sign the order.

There is no DEA Number in file200 for this provider. Contact your CAC or support person who can check on this for you.

2.

Order for controlled substance could not be completed.

Provider is not authorized to prescribe medications in Federal Schedule X [X is one of 2, 2N, 3, 3N, 4, or 5].

In the provider’s set up, they have not been assigned permission to write for the specified schedule. Your CAC should know who is responsible for assigning the schedules.

3.

Order for controlled substance could not be completed.

Provider does not have a valid Detoxification/Maintenance ID number on record and is ineligible to sign the order.

The provider does not have a Detoxification/Maintenance number entered in file 200 or there is a problem with it. Contact your ADPAC or CAC to find out who enters credentialing information through the Data Entry for ePrescribing Controlled Substances application to get this corrected.

4.

Order for controlled substance could not be completed.

Provider’s DEA# expired on DATE [ex:JAN 01, 2012] and no VA# is assigned. Provider is ineligible to sign the order.

 

The text is clear. The provider’s DEA number has expired and the provider does not have a VA number. Contact your ADPAC or CAC to find out who enters credentialing information through the Data Entry for ePrescribing Controlled Substances application to get this corrected.

5.

Order for controlled substance could not be completed.

Provider’s Detoxification/Maintenance ID number expired due to an expired DEA# on DATE [ex: JAN 01, 2012]. Provider is ineligible to sign the order.

Again, the error text gives a good explanation. The provider has a valid Detoxifcation/Maintenance number, but because the user’s DEA number has expired, the Detox/Maintenance number cannot be used. Contact your ADPAC or CAC to find out who enters credentialing information through the Data Entry for ePrescribing Controlled Substances application to get this corrected.

6.

Digital Signing of Controlled Substances is currently disabled for your site.

The prescriber tries to sign and the PKI switch (OR EPCS SITE PARAMETER) is disabled for the site.

7.

You are not currently permitted to digitally sign Controlled Substances.

The prescriber tries to sign and the PKI switch (OR EPCS USERS PARAMETER) is disabled for the signer.

8.

Problem getting PIN. Cannot Digitally Sign.

There are issues reading the smart or PIV card/retrieving the PIN. Contact your CAC or ADPAC for help.

9.

Card has been locked. Cannot Digitally Sign.

The card is locked in CPRS after 3 failed attempts at PIN entry. This error occurs when the user tries to sign while the card is locked. It will be automatically unlocked after 15 minutes.

Warning: Be careful! 5 consecutive PIN entry attempts will lock the card and you will have to go to your PIV office to resolve the situation.

10.

Digital Signing has been cancelled.

The digital signature process has been cancelled by CPRS. This error usually shows after another problem has occurred.

11.

Could not digitally sign. An error has occurred: Hash generation failed.

The system has issues creating the hash. The hash is created using the data from the order and a specific value. This process is repeated in Pharmacy during finishing and the hash values are compared to see if anything has been changed.

12.

Please verify that you are logged on to the CPRS system and that your PIV card is inserted.  There is a possible mismatch between your VistA last name and the last name of the certificate on your card.   If it matches and you are still experiencing issues, please contact your card issuer for assistance.

 

When a user tries to link his/her PIV card to another VistA user logged into CPRS, a series of error messages will appear after PIN entry

13.

CPRS was not able to link your VistA account to a PIV card.

When a user tries to link his/her PIV card to another VistA user logged into CPRS, a series of error messages will appear after PIN entry

14.

89802006^Smart Card Reader not found

As stated, the card reader was not found. Contact your local IRM shop.

15.

Problems with verifying certificate chain of authority

  •       Network problems connecting to the verifying servers

  •       Tumbleweed may not be installed on the PKI Verify Server or workstation or is not installed correctly.

Contact you CAC or ADPAC for assistance.

 

16.

Valid Certificate not found

No valid certificate to use was found on the card. Contact you CAC or ADPAC for assistance.

17.

Returned from CertSignData with failure

Obtained a valid certificate, but failed to sign data correctly. Contact you CAC or ADPAC for assistance.

18.

Certificate not valid: 89802019^Before Cert effective date.

The current date when the user is signing is before the certificate’s effective date. Contact you CAC or ADPAC for assistance.

19.

Certificate not valid: 89802020^Certificate expired.

The certificate on the card has expired. Contact your PIV office.

20.

Could not acquire context Last Error value was “specific message for the error”

Often means that the ActivClient on that machine needs to be reinstalled.  First, the user should try to digitally sign from another workstation, and if that works, then it is probably ActivClient or the card reader hardware.

21.

Invalid PIN entry - You only have ## attempts left before it is locked.

This error message displays when the user enters and incorrect PIN one or two times. The message tells the user how many times another incorrect PIN can be entered before CPRS locks ordering for the card. The order will be left unsigned.

Warning: Be careful! 5 consecutive PIN entry attempts will lock the card and you will have to go to your PIV office to reinstate or create a new card!

22.

That was three (3) unsuccessful tries, the Card Reader is Locked

The user entered an incorrect PIN three consecutive times. CPRS locks access to the card. The order will be left unsigned.

Warning: Be careful! 5 consecutive PIN entry attempts will lock the card and you will have to go to your PIV office to reinstate or create a new card!

23.

Pin Entry was cancelled

The user cancelled PIN entry and stopped the digital signature process. The order will be left unsigned.

24.

Unable to read the information from your card.  Possible mismatch between your VistA last name and the last name of the certificate on your card.

No matching certificate found when trying to get the SAN from the PIV card to link.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC for help.

25.

Revocation failed - error: “specific text for the error”

The revocation server that checks to see if a certificate has been revoked or expired couldn’t be reached over the network.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.

26.

Could not open the Cert Store

This appears to be a problem with ActivClient. Please check ActivClient and reinstall if necessary.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.

27.

Did not find a Cert

This error comes from other programs outside of CPRS. The cause may not be as easily determined as other errors.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.

28.

89802010^Signature Error – “specific text for the error”

This error comes from other programs outside of CPRS. The cause may not be as easily determined as other errors.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.

29.

89802009^Signature Check failed

This error comes from other programs outside of CPRS. The cause may not be as easily determined as other errors.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.

30.

Digital signature verification failed: “specific text for the error”

This error comes from other programs outside of CPRS. The cause may not be as easily determined as other errors.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.

31.

Keyset error

This error appears to be related to a bad SAN being stored for the user.

Contact your CAC or ADPAC or assistance.