2017 Tennessee Code
Title 68 - Health, Safety and Environmental Protection
Health
Chapter 11 - Health Facilities and Resources
Part 3 - Medical Records Act of 1974
§ 68-11-313. Authentication of verbal orders.

Universal Citation: TN Code § 68-11-313 (2017)
  • (a)
    • (1) A hospital licensed pursuant to this chapter shall require that all verbal orders be authenticated by a physician or authorized individual who has the authority to issue verbal orders in accordance with hospital policies or medical staff bylaws.
    • (2) The policies or bylaws shall require that: authentication of a verbal order occurs within forty-eight (48) hours after the time the order is made unless a read-back and verify process pursuant to subdivision (a)(3) is used. The individual receiving a verbal order shall record the date and time of the verbal order, and sign the verbal order in accordance with hospital policies or medical staff bylaws.
    • (3) A hospital policy may provide for a read-back and verify process for verbal orders. A read-back and verify process shall require that the individual receiving the order immediately read back the order to the physician or authorized individual, who shall immediately verify that the read-back order is correct. The individual receiving the verbal order shall record that the order was read back and verified. If the read-back and verify process is followed, the verbal order shall be authenticated no later than fourteen (14) days after the date of the verbal order.
  • (b) Nothing in this subsection (b) shall be interpreted to encourage the more frequent use of verbal orders by the medical staff of a hospital.
  • (c) Hospital policies or medical staff bylaws may establish a variety of modalities for communicating verbal orders and a read-back and verify process including, but not limited to, oral or electronic means so long as subdivisions (a)(2) and (3) are met.
  • (d) For the purposes of this section, telephone orders are considered verbal orders.
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