The Joint Commission has temporarily reinstated a ban on any physician or licensed
independent practitioner texting orders for care, treatment, and
services until the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services ("CMS") collaborate to develop
additional guidance. The Joint Commission rescinded the original five-year ban in May
2016 to allow texting via a secure text messaging platform, noting
that advanced technology provided secure information transfer, but
the recent announcement suggests that additional guidance, due late
September 2016, will better ensure a safe implementation of secure
texting orders. The Joint Commission expects this guidance will
include a series of Frequently Asked Questions to "ensure
congruency with the Medicare Conditions of Participation" and
assist health care organizations as they incorporate text orders
into their policies and procedures.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
