Chapter 3 – Health Care Operations

3.3.5.10 Direct Orders (Medical/Dental)

• Policy

  • All California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Division of Health Care Services (DHCS) personnel shall abide by applicable statutes, standards and administrative policy when issuing and complying with direct medical orders.

• Purpose

  • To ensure that CDCR, DHCS personnel are in compliance with applicable state law in regard to direct medical orders.

• Procedure

  • Licensed health care staff who, by virtue of their license, are authorized by law or regulations to issue direct medical orders must:

    • Place orders utilizing the Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) method in the Electronic Health Record System, unless otherwise required by federal or state law, or

    • Communicate such orders to appropriate health care providers and sign or electronically authorize these orders within 48 hours or no later than the next business day following a weekend or holiday. (Reference the Health Care Department Operations Manual, Section 3.5.8, Prescription/Order Requirements and Medication Availability).

  • In the absence of the ordering health care provider, verbal orders may be countersigned or electronically authorized via CPOE by a non-ordering dentist or physician.

  • Modifications to direct medical orders must be authorized by a licensed practitioner.

• References

  • Health Care Department Operations Manual, Chapter 3, Article 5, Section 3.5.8, Prescription/Order Requirements and Medication Availability

• Revision History

• Effective: 04/2006
  Revised: 11/2017, 11/2020, 02/2022