Joint Commission Removes Ban on Texting Orders
Prior to the new policy, hospitals and other medical “organizations” have been unable to send and receive patient orders via text messaging. That has now changed. The new Joint Commission policy reads:
“Licensed independent practitioners or other practitioners in accordance with professional standards of practice, law and regulation, and policies and procedures may text orders as long as a secure text messaging platform is used and the required components of an order are included.”
Arkansas Medical Society members already have access to a free app called DocbookMD that meets the requirements.
A secure texting platform must include the following:
- Secure sign-on process
- Encrypted messaging
- Delivery and read receipts
- Date and time stamp
- Customized message retention time frames
- Specified contact list for individuals authorized to receive and record orders
DocbookMD meets and exceeds all of these requirements and is free of charge and exclusively available to Arkansas Medical Society members. Learn more about DocbookMD.