CMS Approves Secure Text Messaging for Patient Information and Orders in Healthcare Settings

In a groundbreaking move, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently updated its guidelines, allowing healthcare providers in hospitals and critical access hospitals to text patient information and orders among care team members. This policy change, effective immediately, marks a significant shift in the communication protocols within healthcare settings.

The CMS, in a memorandum to state survey agencies, clarified that texting patient information is permissible as long as it is done through a secure texting platform compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This development comes as a response to the evolving nature of digital communication in healthcare and the advancements in secure texting technology.

While the CMS still prefers that providers enter orders into the medical record via computerized provider order entry or handwritten orders, it acknowledges the improvements in encryption and application interface capabilities of texting platforms. These advancements have made it feasible to transfer data securely into electronic health records (EHR).

Providers opting to incorporate texting into their workflows and EHRs are expected to use a platform that meets the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule and the HITECH Act Amendment 2021, as well as the CMS’s Conditions of Participation. Additionally, CMS recommends that providers should routinely assess their chosen secure texting platform to ensure patient care is not compromised.

This policy revision was welcomed by the American Hospital Association (AHA), which noted the benefits of faster treatments and reduced burden on clinicians. Stephen Hughes, AHA Director for Health IT Policy, expressed gratitude for the change, emphasizing its positive impact on both patients and providers.

The CMS had previously put a hold on patient info texts between care team members in late 2017 or early 2018 due to concerns about record retention, privacy, confidentiality, security, and system integrity. However, the recent advancements in secure texting platforms have addressed these concerns, leading to the current policy update.
This change by the CMS is a significant step towards integrating modern communication technologies into healthcare, aiming to enhance care coordination and efficiency while maintaining patient privacy and data security.

 

 


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