South Carolina Long Term Health Care Administrator Practice Test

How frequently must standing orders be reviewed after they've been initially signed and dated by a physician?

1. Monthly

2. Quarterly

3. Annually

4. Biannually

The correct answer is: Annually

Standing orders are protocols or guidelines in healthcare that allow certain treatments or interventions to be performed without a physician’s direct order for each individual case. These orders are meant to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in patient care. In the context of long-term care and health administration, periodic review of standing orders is critical to ensure they remain relevant, safe, and effective as guidelines and standards evolve. The requirement for an annual review of standing orders reflects a balance between maintaining continuity and allowing for necessary updates to reflect current best practices, changes in regulations, or improvements in standards of care. This annual review helps to safeguard against outdated practices that may not align with the latest clinical evidence or regulatory changes, thereby enhancing overall patient safety and quality of care. The other options, while they suggest varying frequencies of review, do not align with the best practices established for maintaining standing orders. Monthly and quarterly reviews may be unnecessarily frequent given the stable nature of many standing orders once they are established, while biannual reviews may not provide sufficient oversight to capture changes that arise within a year. Thus, the annual review becomes a standard practice for ensuring that treatment protocols remain current and appropriate.