When admitting orders are given on elective surgical patients, there would not even be a chart to sign until the patient is admitted which most often will miss the 48-hour deadline. When a physician gives a verbal order just prior to leaving on a vacation, the order will generally not be able to be signed until more than 48 hours have elapsed. Beyond these mechanical problems, there is no credible evidence that failure to sign a verbal order within 48 hours has any negative impact on patient care or that signing a verbal order within 48 hours has any positive impact on patient care. We need your help in reversing this administrative rule. Please write to Richard Raymond, M.D. at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 95044, Lincoln, NE 68509 requesting this rule be dropped.
Time is short and space is limited.
The Metropolitan Omaha Medical Society has recently been successful as a facilitator for a number of issues related to our profession and our ability to deliver high quality patient care. These are issues that we can act on only with your support and through your identification of problems. Please continue to freely communicate with the MOMS office or any of the Executive Board members regarding problems or concerns you may identify with the practice of medicine in the Omaha community.