Coordination of Services and Physician Orders
Sets out the Agency's system for communication and integration among its disciplines, contractors, volunteers and the facilities where patients live, and with non-hospice providers, and how orders are given, received, recorded and authenticated, including who may order drugs, who may take verbal orders, the Pennsylvania conditions for licensed practical nurses accepting oral orders, and the Agency's time frame for the practitioner to sign verbal orders.
About this policy
- Policy number
- PA-HSP-IDG-03
- Version
- 1.0
- Main rule
- 42 CFR §418.56(e)
- Library
- Pennsylvania hospice · 60 policies
- Category
- Hospice care
- Sections
- 22
In short
- Document every visit by the end of the day and report big changes to the RN coordinator the same day.
- Only licensed nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists or physicians take verbal orders. LPNs need the Agency's verbal order training first. Aides and office staff never take orders.
- Write the order, read it back, then record and sign it immediately with the practitioner's name, date and time.
- Question any unsafe or unclear order before acting.
- The practitioner must sign verbal orders within 14 days. Never take orders by personal text or email.
What's inside
22 sections. The full text comes with the One-time Policy Pack.
- Terms of Reference
- 1. Purpose
- 2. Scope
- 3. Definitions
- 4. Policy Statement (42 CFR §418.56(e))
- 5. Communication Among Agency Disciplines
- 6. Contractors, Volunteers and Inpatient and Residential Settings
- 7. Coordination With Other Providers
- 8. Receiving Orders
- 8.1 Who may give orders
- 8.2 Who may take verbal and electronic orders
- 8.3 Recording a verbal order
- 8.4 Practitioner signature time frame
- 8.5 Orders by fax and electronic transmission
- 9. Orders in the Record
- 10. Responsibilities
- 11. Records and Compliance Monitoring
- 12. Staff Training
- 13. References
- 14. Related Policies and Forms
- 15. Approval
- 16. Revision History
An inspector may ask
- How do your disciplines and contractors share information about a patient day to day?
- Show me a verbal order. Who took it, did they record and sign it immediately, and when did the practitioner sign it?
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