Operative and High Risk Procedure Reports - Timeframe of Dictation or Written
In what timeframe must an operative or other high-risk procedure report be dictated and placed in the medical record?
Any examples are for illustrative purposes only.
The report must be written or dictated immediately after an operative or other high risk procedure^ and entered into the medical record. This information could be entered as the operative report or as a hand-written progress note. If the operative or procedural report is not placed in the medical record immediately following the procedure, then a progress note must be immediately entered after the procedure to provide pertinent information to the next provider of care. The goal is to ensure there is sufficient information about the procedure in the record immediately after surgery or other high risk procedure to manage the patient throughout the post procedure period.
'Immediately after surgery or procedure' is defined as "upon completion of procedure, before the patient is transferred to the next level of care". This is to ensure that pertinent information is available to the next caregiver. If the practitioner performing the operation or high-risk procedure accompanies the patient from the operating room to the next unit or area of care, the report can be written or dictated in the new unit or area of care. For the purposes of this requirement, The Joint Commission considers the Pre-Op, O.R. and PACU as the same level of care as the clinical team is essentially intact across these areas.
If the progress note option is used (see RC.02.01.03 EP 7), it must contain, at a minimum, comparable operative/procedural report information. The minimum required elements include; the name of the primary surgeon and assistants procedures performed and description of each procedure findings any estimated blood loss, any specimens removed, and the post operative diagnosis.
^ See definition in the glossary of the accreditation manual.
The report must be written or dictated immediately after an operative or other high risk procedure^ and entered into the medical record. This information could be entered as the operative report or as a hand-written progress note. If the operative or procedural report is not placed in the medical record immediately following the procedure, then a progress note must be immediately entered after the procedure to provide pertinent information to the next provider of care. The goal is to ensure there is sufficient information about the procedure in the record immediately after surgery or other high risk procedure to manage the patient throughout the post procedure period.
'Immediately after surgery or procedure' is defined as "upon completion of procedure, before the patient is transferred to the next level of care". This is to ensure that pertinent information is available to the next caregiver. If the practitioner performing the operation or high-risk procedure accompanies the patient from the operating room to the next unit or area of care, the report can be written or dictated in the new unit or area of care. For the purposes of this requirement, The Joint Commission considers the Pre-Op, O.R. and PACU as the same level of care as the clinical team is essentially intact across these areas.
If the progress note option is used (see RC.02.01.03 EP 7), it must contain, at a minimum, comparable operative/procedural report information. The minimum required elements include; the name of the primary surgeon and assistants procedures performed and description of each procedure findings any estimated blood loss, any specimens removed, and the post operative diagnosis.
^ See definition in the glossary of the accreditation manual.
Manual:
Ambulatory
Chapter:
Record of Care Treatment and Services RC
Last reviewed by Standards Interpretation: May 03, 2022
Represents the most recent date that the FAQ was reviewed (e.g. annual review).
First published date: April 11, 2016
This Standards FAQ was first published on this date.
This page was last updated on October 14, 2023
with update notes of: Editorial changes only
Types of changes and an explanation of change type:
Editorial changes only: Format changes only. No changes to content. |
Review only, FAQ is current: Periodic review completed, no changes to content. |
Reflects new or updated requirements: Changes represent new or revised requirements.
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