Joint Commission: Doc ordering via text is unacceptable

The Joint Commission recently updated its standards to indicate that text messages are an inappropriate means of placing physician orders.

“It is not acceptable for physicians or licensed independent practitioners to text orders for patients to the hospital or other healthcare setting. This method provides no ability to verify the identity of the person sending the text and there is no way to keep the original message as validation of what is entered into the medical record,” the Nov. 10 standards update read.

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