ACEP ID:
Revised January 2021, June 2015 with current title
Reaffirmed October 2008
Revised February 2002, January 1997
Originally approved September 1992 titled "Telephone Orders in the Emergency Department"
Emergency physicians are available to provide care to patients in the emergency department (ED) 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) believes that orders for ED patients that are received from a physician, nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA) not physically present in the ED risk complicating or hindering patient care. Outside orders could create legal liability and restrict appropriate assessment and treatment in the ED.
Therefore, ACEP endorses the following principles:
The scope of this policy does not include hospital admitting orders given by a physician, NP, or PA outside the ED following completion of ED assessment and treatment. Transmittal of hospital admitting orders establishes the transfer of care from the emergency physician to the admitting physician. Such orders should be governed by applicable hospital policy and state law.