What does releasing signed and held orders signify in Epic?

Releasing signed and held orders in Epic signifies making the orders active. When healthcare professionals complete necessary steps to sign and hold orders, these orders are typically waiting for the final action to be implemented. By choosing to release these orders, clinicians are indicating that they are ready to be executed, which is essential for ensuring that the patient's care plan proceeds smoothly and without unnecessary delays.

This step is critical in the inpatient setting, where timely medication administration and procedural orders can significantly impact patient outcomes. By activating these orders, the healthcare team can ensure the patient receives the necessary treatments as planned.

The other choices do not accurately represent the function of releasing signed and held orders. For instance, canceling orders would involve a different workflow in the system, and saving them for later does not imply any action is being taken to implement the orders. Updating the patient's medication list refers to a different process and does not directly relate to the act of releasing orders.