> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://api.vitarelay.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Place an order for your own patient > Creates an order for any mix of R&D, 503B, and 503A products. For each 503A (patient-specific) line, VitaRelay records an external-source **signed** prescription whose prescriber identity is resolved from your roster by `prescriber_npi`. A controlled substance requires the prescriber to have a DEA on file for the patient's state; otherwise 422 `controlled_requires_dea`. Prescriber identity (name/DEA/license) is derived from your roster by NPI, never from the body. The patient must belong to your practice; any other patient returns 404. `external_order_id` is an idempotency key — replaying a request with the same key returns the original order with `idempotent_replay: true` (HTTP 200). Test keys return a simulated sandbox response and create no real rows. **Scope required:** `orders:write`. ## OpenAPI ````yaml /practice-api/openapi.yaml post /orders openapi: 3.0.3 info: title: VitaRelay Practice API version: 1.0.0 description: > The Practice API is for provider practices that prescribe with their OWN licensed prescribers (NPI/DEA/license on file with VitaRelay). VitaRelay is logistics and fulfillment only — your own provider is the prescriber of record. No cost, pharmacy, margin, or price data is ever exposed through this API. servers: - url: https://vitarelay.com/api/public/practice/v1 security: - bearerAuth: [] tags: - name: Catalog description: Unified 503A / 503B / R&D catalog (no pricing). - name: Orders description: Place and track orders for your own patients. - name: Prescribers description: >- Manage your practice's prescriber roster. NPI and DEA are validated by format and checksum only — this is not a NPPES or DEA registry lookup. DEA numbers are always masked in responses. paths: /orders: post: tags: - Orders summary: Place an order for your own patient description: > Creates an order for any mix of R&D, 503B, and 503A products. For each 503A (patient-specific) line, VitaRelay records an external-source **signed** prescription whose prescriber identity is resolved from your roster by `prescriber_npi`. A controlled substance requires the prescriber to have a DEA on file for the patient's state; otherwise 422 `controlled_requires_dea`. Prescriber identity (name/DEA/license) is derived from your roster by NPI, never from the body. The patient must belong to your practice; any other patient returns 404. `external_order_id` is an idempotency key — replaying a request with the same key returns the original order with `idempotent_replay: true` (HTTP 200). Test keys return a simulated sandbox response and create no real rows. **Scope required:** `orders:write`. operationId: createOrder requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/CreateOrderRequest' examples: office_stock_503b: summary: 503B office-stock order (no prescriber, no prescriptions) description: >- Bulk office-use compounded product shipped to the practice. No prescriber_npi and no prescriptions[] are required for 503B. value: patient_id: b3f1c2a4-0000-0000-0000-000000000001 items: - platform_product_id: 8a1e6b90-503b-4b00-9000-000000000abc quantity: 2 shipping_destination_type: practice_office shipping_address: name: Vital Glow — Men's and Women's Health line1: 1494 Lake Murray Boulevard STE A city: Columbia state: SC postal_code: '29212' country: US external_order_id: po-2026-0042 rx_503a: summary: >- 503A patient-specific Rx order (prescriber + prescription line) description: >- Patient-specific compounded prescription. Requires prescriber_npi (resolved against your roster) and one prescriptions[] line per 503A product. Controlled substances additionally require the prescriber to have a DEA on file for the patient's state. value: patient_id: b3f1c2a4-0000-0000-0000-000000000002 prescriber_npi: '1629850987' items: - platform_product_id: 7c2d5e10-503a-4a00-9000-000000000def quantity: 1 prescriptions: - platform_product_id: 7c2d5e10-503a-4a00-9000-000000000def drug_name: Testosterone Cypionate strength: 200mg/mL dosage_form: injectable sig: Inject 0.5 mL IM weekly quantity: 10 quantity_unit: mL days_supply: 140 refills_authorized: 3 diagnosis_code: E29.1 shipping_destination_type: patient_direct shipping_address: name: John Patient line1: 22 Elm St city: Columbia state: SC postal_code: '29201' country: US external_order_id: rx-2026-0043 responses: '200': description: Idempotent replay — the original order returned. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/CreateOrderResponse' '201': description: Order created. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/CreateOrderResponse' '400': $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' '401': $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' '403': $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' '404': $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' '422': description: > Validation or prescriber failure. Possible `error.code` values: - `validation_failed` — body failed schema validation. - `prescriber_required` — `prescriber_npi` missing while the cart contains a 503A (patient-specific) product. 503B office-stock and R&D do not require it. - `prescriber_not_found` — NPI is not a registered prescriber on your roster. - `controlled_requires_dea` — a controlled-substance line lacks a resolved DEA. - `prescriptions_required` — a `prescriptions` line is missing for a 503A (patient-specific) product. 503B office-stock does not use prescription lines. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' '429': $ref: '#/components/responses/Error' components: schemas: CreateOrderRequest: type: object additionalProperties: false properties: patient_id: type: string format: uuid description: Your own patient. Either this or external_patient_id is required. external_patient_id: type: string description: >- Your system's patient identifier (used when the patient was created via API). prescriber_npi: type: string pattern: ^[0-9]{10}$ description: >- Required only when the cart contains a 503A (patient-specific) product. Not needed for 503B office-stock or R&D orders. items: type: array minItems: 1 maxItems: 50 items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/OrderItem' prescriptions: type: array items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/PrescriptionLine' description: >- One line per 503A (patient-specific) product ordered. Not used for 503B office-stock or R&D. shipping_destination_type: type: string enum: - practice_office - patient_direct - distributor_office shipping_address: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ShippingAddress' external_order_id: type: string description: Idempotency key. Replays return the original order. required: - items - shipping_destination_type - shipping_address CreateOrderResponse: type: object properties: data: type: object properties: order_id: type: string order_number: type: string status: type: string escripts_created: type: integer sandbox: type: boolean idempotent_replay: type: boolean description: Present and true on idempotent replays (HTTP 200). Error: type: object properties: error: type: object properties: code: type: string message: type: string OrderItem: type: object properties: platform_product_id: type: string format: uuid quantity: type: integer minimum: 1 maximum: 999 required: - platform_product_id - quantity PrescriptionLine: type: object description: >- One line per 503A (patient-specific) product in the order — your own script, written in your EMR. 503B office-stock does not use prescription lines. properties: platform_product_id: type: string format: uuid drug_name: type: string strength: type: string dosage_form: type: string sig: type: string quantity: type: number quantity_unit: type: string days_supply: type: integer refills_authorized: type: integer diagnosis_code: type: string notes: type: string required: - platform_product_id - drug_name ShippingAddress: type: object properties: name: type: string line1: type: string line2: type: string city: type: string state: type: string postal_code: type: string country: type: string description: 2-letter country code minLength: 2 maxLength: 2 required: - name - line1 - city - state - postal_code - country responses: Error: description: Error envelope. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' securitySchemes: bearerAuth: type: http scheme: bearer description: Practice API key (`vr_live_...` or `vr_test_...`). ````