ID H0188

Allows a practitioner who is responsible for a patient's care to authenticate orders even if they did not author the order, provided they are authorized by hospital policy and state law.

Requires hospital records relating to patient care orders and drug administration to be authenticated to ensure accuracy and patient safety.

Permits authentication through manual signature, facsimile transmission, or unique electronic code known only to the practitioner.

Mandates each hospital establish policies and mechanisms to ensure timely authentication of all orders and restrict authentication to the order author or an authorized practitioner responsible for the patient's care.

Maintains existing provisions regarding retention and destruction of hospital records, including clinical laboratory test records (5 years) and x-ray films (5 years or until patient reaches age of majority, whichever is later).