Laboratory News: New Signature Requirements for Laboratory Tests Targeted for April 2011

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently published a final rule that will require the signature of a physician or non-physician practitioner (NPP) on requisitions/orders for all clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. Currently, this ruling applies to all Medicare and Medicaid patients and will most likely be adopted by other payers. The target implementation date is April 1, 2011.

Prior to April, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital (SLCH) laboratory requisition will be modified to provide a signature line and a print line. To ready for the change, the laboratory is requesting that physicians begin signing their laboratory test orders on the current laboratory requisition or their office script request. Electronic physician signatures are acceptable if authenticated. The current hospital ordering system, KIDDOS, satisfies the requirement for an inpatient lab order when the order is entered by the physician (CPOE).

“Although this rule takes effect in April, we want to ensure that physicians and NPPs are aware of this new ruling and its importance,” says Susan Deuser, clinical laboratory manager at SLCH. “Once the ruling is implemented, compliance with a signature will ensure timely service to patients and laboratory results to providers.”

More information and details about the new signature requirements will be shared with healthcare providers as it becomes available.

Contact Children's Direct at 800.678.HELP (4357) with any questions.