On March 29th, 2020, the Texas Medical Board (TMB) clarified that certain elective surgeries and procedures may be performed if the ordering physician has determined that such case is Urgent or Elective Urgent or Emergent. Further, the TMB stated proper documentation is the key to justifying any determination by the ordering physician that an elective case qualifies in one of these three categories.
Should you choose to proceed with ordering an Urgent, Elective Urgent, or Emergent surgery or procedure, be sure to very clearly state the reasoning and facts in the patient’s medical record. Here are some excerpts from the TMB’s FAQ document: