Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc.  Verbal/telephone orders are signed, dated by the physician within 30 days of receipt of the orders by the Agency personnel.  Facsimile copies of signed orders must be supported by the original signed orders prior to billing Medicare, Medicaid or other third-party payer. PROCEDURE:  A nurse (RN or LPN/LVN - check state law) or therapist may accept physician verbal/telephone orders.  The verbal/telephone order is communicated to the Clinical Supervisor and appropriate members of the healthcare team.  The staff member who accepts the order:  Reduces the order to writing  Ensures the appropriateness, accuracy and completeness of the order  Signs, date and times the order  The verbal/telephone order may initially be transcribed onto one of the following forms:  Referral sheet  Physician Admission or Initial Order (Prescription form if available)  Communication sheet  A copy of the Confirmation of Physician Verbal/Telephone Orders Form is filed in the patient’s medical record.  The Medical Records Department maintains a log of and monitors outstanding, i.e., unsigned, physician orders.  A report of the outstanding, i.e., unsigned orders is submitted to the Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager on a monthly basis.  The Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager notifies Clinical Supervisors of outstanding orders and requests follow-up with physicians.  Agency personnel may be assigned to visit physician offices to obtain the signed orders.  If the physician is unwilling/unable to comply with the request for signed orders, the following actions may be instituted:  The Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager may contact the physicians’s office regarding order(s) outstanding more than 21 days.  The Administrator contacts physicians unwilling/unable to cooperate with Agency policy for timely signed orders.  The Director of Nursing, Clinical Manager may be asked to contact the physician to explain the necessity of the signed order and to request compliance with the request for signed order(s).  Another physician may be identified and requested to provided signed orders for the patient’s care, treatment and/or services. Home Health Agency Nursing Manual J-59