“Medicare requires that services provided/ordered/certified be authenticated by the persons responsible for the care of the beneficiary in accordance with Medicare’s policies. For example, if the physician’s authenticated documentation corroborates the nurse’s unsigned note, and the physician was the responsible party per Medicare’s payment policy, medical reviewers would consider signature requirements to have been met. The method used shall be a handwritten or electronic signature. Stamped signatures are not acceptable.”
Note: Scribes are not providers of items or services. When a scribe is used by a provider in documenting medical record entries (e.g. progress notes), CMS does not require the scribe to sign/date the documentation. The treating physician’s/NPP's signature on a note indicates that the physician/NPP affirms the note adequately documents the care provided. Reviewers are only required to look for the signature (and date) of the treating physician/nonphysician practitioner on the note.