PT Eval, consult, eval and treat

[kgmspt]

Does anyone have any thoughts about how orders are written by MDs in acute care and how they handle them. We see everything from the most welcome PT eval and treat, to just "PT" or "PT consult" We've been having discussions whether the two latter constitute just the eval and we request treatment orders or if anyone thinks they imply treatment as well. Any personal thoughts, or does anyone know of any DOH, CMS, JCAHO regs on this? Thanks!

[kajel]

Orders need to be specific. Just "PT" can be confused with protime and PT consult means just that, a consult. PT eval is just evaluation without treatment. What I have done, depending on Dr. and hospital is prior to clarification, written PT eval and treat then clarification. But this depends on hospital, so bump this up to rehab director to clarify this.

[kgmspt]

Thanks for your response. I am a new director, and I am going to write a policy that says to the MDs if you write PT consult you will get an eval and we will request rx orders if appropriate, and so on with the way they write orders here. That way they know what they will be getting by what they write. This way they may also be conditioned to write PT eval and rx. Anyone else have comments or know of any regulations from payors or regulatory bodies for acute care??

[dschmidt]

I have a similar dilemma...
In the outpatient setting, does the physician's initial prescription need to specifically state all the modalities you provide to your patient during the 1st visit (eval day)?
We currently get our Plan Of Care signed by the referring physician, but it comes back to us after we've treated the patient. Is this an acceptable practice?
Do we need to call and get a verbal order for treatment after evaluating each new patient?