The Joint Commission reported providers may utilize a HIPAA-compliant platform to text each other, according to mHealth Intelligence.
Here are five things to know:
1. Clinicians may not text protected health information or patient care orders.
2. The commission banned texting among providers in 2011, lifting the ban in April 2016. In July 2016, the commission reenacted the ban, reporting it needed additional time to create text-messaging guidelines.
3. The Joint Commission and CMS plan to issue "Frequently Asked Questions" documents to guide organizations as they implement texting into their policies.
4. The Joint Commission and CMS also issued the following recommendations:
• Organizations should develop policies forbidding unsecured text messaging for protected health information.
• Organizations should use computerized provider order entry for submitting orders.
• If organizations cannot submit a CPOE or written order, a verbal order will suffice.
• Using secure text orders is not allowed, currently.
5. The two organizations prohibited text messaging for patient orders because of the additional work for nurses to manually integrate text orders with the EHR; burden on providers to explain texted orders verbally; and confusion surrounding the possibility of texted orders causing an alert.
