David,
This issue arose within our hospital a while back. After review we determined that the requirement to actually have a signed order was probably legitimate (even though the exam included the words "with contrast"). The pharmaceutical still need to be specifically ordered. However, we successfully argued that signing the pharmaceutical order was inherently the responsibility of the physician ordering the contrast study, not the radiologist. My loose understanding of the way it works here is that the technical staff enter the contrast usage information in Cerner which is then routed back to the ref doc to sign. Our rads are not signing them.
------------------------------
Michael Bohl FRBMA
Executive Director
Radiology Group, PC, SC
Davenport IA
(563) 421-5643
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-15-2019 16:46
From: David Smith
Subject: Rads Signing off on Contrast Orders
Some of our doctors are questioning the necessity of a radiologist signing off on contrast orders in the hospital. The hospitals blame it on Medicare and Medicaid requirements, which do indeed require orders for drugs and biologicals.
Has anyone dealt with this and found a winning argument to avoid this task? In my mind, the order for the imaging study with contrast would qualify as an order for the contrast.
Thanks
David Smith, FACMPE | Executive Director | 785.393.8387
