Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Hospital Conditions of Participation: Requirements for History and Physical Examinations; Authentication of Verbal Orders; Securing Medications; and Postanesthesia Evaluations

In this rule, we finalize changes to four of the current requirements (or conditions of participation (CoPs)) that hospitals must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Specifically, this final rule revises and updates our CoP requirements for: Completion of the history and physical examination in the medical staff and the medical record services CoPs; authentication of verbal orders in the nursing service and the medical record services CoPs; securing medications in the pharmaceutical services CoP; and completion of the postanesthesia evaluation in the anesthesia services CoP. We also respond to timely public comments submitted on the proposed rule published in the March 25, 2005 Federal Register (70 FR 15266). The changes specified in this final rule are consistent with current medical practice and will reduce the regulatory burden on hospitals.