Texting of Medical Order

Effective May 2016, the Joint Commission no longer has a blanket rule prohibiting the use of secure texting as a method for placing orders. Premier Health currently does not allow this practice, based on this regulation as well as other applicable rules. Moreover, to allow orders via this method, there needs to be assurance that patient safety and quality standards are at least as good as more conventional methods, such as telephone orders.

A number of other rules and regulations governing the ordering process still prevent us from adding this as an ordering alternative at Premier Health at this time. We do recognize that there is a desire to potentially add this in the future, and we are evaluating this as part of the strategies for ordering and communication with all clinical staff in the future.

Premier Health is evaluating this as part of a larger look at methods to enhance communication between clinicians. We recognize the importance of this as an integral part of our safety, quality and efficiency improvements.

Until we have identified a safe way to communicate via texting, it is still unacceptable to encourage and carry out any orders received via text. Should you receive such orders, we encourage you to follow your chain of command.

<<Back to Premier Nursing News-August 2016

Source: Premier Health Nursing