Signature Stamps - Probably Best to Toss Them!
Hospitals periodically develop anxiety over the use of signature stamps by medical staff members. Many institutions have gone so far as to say "no" to any and all signature stamps. Others have limited use of signature stamps so that only the physician him or herself can use the stamp and, frankly, if the physician is the only one who can use the stamp ... "What is the point?"
Well, based upon CMS Transmittal 248, issued early in the spring, it would appear that there is no point in having signature stamps for physicians because they are not acceptable and will not be given any credit if CMS audits for signed orders or other medical record documentation where a physician signature is required.
What is perhaps even more troubling about the language in this Transmittal is not that CMS appears to be putting an end to the usefulness of the signature stamp, but that CMS has cleared the way for auditors to deny claims based solely on the type or lack of physician signature. This is true even if all other aspects of the documentation support the medical necessity and appropriate delivery of the service.
So, at this point, hospitals should be sending out alerts to their medical staff members, advising them that signature stamps are not allowed for use anywhere in the medical record. Outpatient diagnostic departments such as lab and radiology should be advised that orders for services that come with a stamped signature as the authorization for the service cannot be accepted. Failure to take this approach could result in overpayment problems during an audit.
