Hackensack Meridian Health Partners with DrFirst to Make Medication Workflows Safer for Patients and Easier for Clinicians

AI-powered tools help doctors and nurses save time and keep patients informed and on track with their medications

EDISON, N.J. and ARLINGTON, Va., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting the right medication quickly and understanding how to take it correctly is crucial for patients. Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey's largest health network, is now using artificial intelligence (AI) to make this process safer and more efficient.

Partnering with healthcare technology leader DrFirst, Hackensack Meridian Health has integrated new AI tools directly into its Epic electronic health record (EHR) system. This means doctors and nurses can access patient medication histories and insurance information faster, saving them valuable time and allowing them to focus more on patient care.

"This isn't about using technology for technology's sake," said Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. "It's about simplifying things for our medical teams so they can focus on what matters most – the patient."

Before the partnership, only 26% of prescription instructions, such as dose and frequency (known as sigs), were automatically mapped into medication history fields in the EHR, requiring clinicians to enter the remaining details manually. With clinical-grade AI from DrFirst, 86% of sigs were automatically mapped across a recent sample of 300,000 medications. 

"Too often, health systems treat innovation as a future project instead of a current priority," said G. Cameron Deemer, CEO of DrFirst. "Hackensack Meridian Health is taking meaningful steps now—applying technology to reduce clinical burden and improve medication access in ways that directly benefit patients. Their example shows what's possible when you focus on practical progress over big promises."

The health system is using three software solutions from DrFirst:

• Data optimization with clinical-grade AI: Provides the most comprehensive medication information available and eliminates the need for manual data entry in clinical workflows. This means patients have less chance of adverse drug events, clinicians have more complete data at the point of care, and pharmacists save time on reconciling patient medication lists.
• Prescription price transparency: Gives providers access to real-time prescription benefit (RTPB) data from more major PBMs, including those that cover most of Hackensack Meridian's patients. Better insight into cost and coverage before a prescription is sent to the pharmacy helps providers address financial barriers with patients to prevent medication abandonment and support better health outcomes.
• Personalized patient messaging: Automated mobile messages include medication details, pharmacy information, educational resources, and cost-saving options—all delivered through a secure, app-free experience.

Hackensack Meridian Health's partnership with DrFirst is part of its broader strategy to accelerate the use of AI and machine learning to improve care. By reducing inefficiencies in clinical workflows, creating more personalized patient experiences, and reducing administrative burdens that contribute to clinician burnout, the health system is putting technology to work where it matters most—for patients and care teams.

About Hackensack Meridian Health
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations, and a fitness and wellness center. With 38,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy and committed to the health and well-being of communities throughout New Jersey. The network's notable distinctions include having the only #1 ranked adult and children's hospitals in New Jersey, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2024-25. Hackensack University Medical Center is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in eight specialties. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.

About DrFirst
For 25 years, healthcare IT pioneer DrFirst has empowered providers and patients to achieve better health through intelligent medication management. We improve healthcare workflows and help patients start and stay on therapy with end-to-end solutions that enhance prescription access, affordability, and adherence. In the last few years, DrFirst has won over 25 awards for excellence and innovation, including winning Gold in the prestigious Edison Awards in 2023, recognizing our game-changing use of clinical-grade AI to streamline time-consuming healthcare workflows and prevent medication errors. Our solutions help 100 million patients a year and are used by more than 450,000 prescribers, 71,000 pharmacies, 270 EHRs and health information systems, and over 2,000 hospitals in the U.S. To learn more, visit DrFirst.com. 

DrFirst Media Contact
Katlyn Nesvold, Amendola Communications for DrFirst  
715-559-0046 
[email protected]

SOURCE DrFirst