The Joint Commission announced today it will release additional guidance in June regarding the expectations for text orders. An updated policy position, published in the May 2016 edition of Joint Commission Perspectives, permits the use of secure text messaging platforms to transmit orders.
The article presents recommendations outlining the features that a secure text messaging platform should include, and affirms that organizations allowing text orders are expected to comply with current Joint Commission standards about the required elements for medication and verbal orders.
The forthcoming guidance will include the frequency in which text orders may be used, whether text orders that are directly integrated into the electronic health record are viewed differently than manually entered text orders, and the expectations for read back/text back confirmation.
The Joint Commission anticipates that as organizations begin to incorporate text orders into their policies and procedures, more topics may need to be addressed in the future. The Joint Commission has already updated its FAQ on texting orders.
Read: Update: Texting Orders from the May 2016 edition of Joint Commission Perspectives
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