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 The Joint Commission rescinded the original five-year ban in May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.
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