SECTION 558.297. Receipt of Physician Orders

An agency must adopt and enforce a written policy describing protocols and procedures agency staff must follow when receiving physician orders.

(1) The policy must address the time frame for countersignature of physician verbal orders.

(2) Signed physician orders may be submitted via fax machine. The agency is not required to have the original signatures on file. However, the agency must be able to obtain original signatures if an issue surfaces that would require verification of an original signature. The policy must include protocols to follow when accepting physician orders via fax. If physician orders are accepted via fax, the policy must:

(A) outline safeguards to assure that transmitted information is sent to the appropriate individual; and

(B) outline the procedures to be followed in the case of misdirected transmission.

Source Note: The provisions of this §558.297 adopted to be effective February 1, 2002, 26 TexReg 9159; transferred effective May 1, 2019, as published in the April 12, 2019, issue of the Texas Register, 44 TexReg 1893; amended to be effective April 25, 2021, 46 TexReg 2427