Most medical practices, healthcare organizations, and clinicians are very familiar with HIPAA rules and regulation. However, the law can be extensively complicated and is often a source of confusion and misinterpretation. According to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), one of the most common complaints and frequently misunderstood parts of the law involves a patient’s...
Cyber criminals and hackers are targeting the healthcare industry at staggering rates, and huge profits are being made on the black market from patient’s PHI (personal healthcare information). PHI is said to be ten times more valuable than credit card information because it contains highly sensitive data such as social security numbers, birth dates, addresses,...
“Physician Engagement” has been an increasingly hot topic with a lot of buzz over the past couple of years. There have been studies, articles, seminars, websites, and entire companies based on the subject matter. Now as healthcare transitions from a fee-for-service model to value-based care, the industry is being forced to find ways to improve...
The transition to ICD-10 has come and gone and the final metrics were posted by CMS last month. Thus far, the shift has been seemingly smoother than most had expected. Making many wonder what all the hype was about, while others remain skeptical. Healthcare experts are optimistically cautious about what is to come, saying it...
On March 21, 2016, The HHS Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced that the Phase 2 of HIPAA audits are now underway. The purpose of the audits is to assess the compliance of covered entities and business associates with HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules. OCR intends to use the information gained from audits...
According to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA), financial losses due to healthcare fraud are in the tens of billions of dollars each year. In 2013, The US Department of Health and Human Services and The Department of Justice recovered more than 4.3 billion in healthcare fraud and abuse. As medical fraud rates continue...
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was established to set national standards for the confidentiality, security, and transmissibility of personal health information. Violations of this Act can result in substantial fines to a practice ranging from $100 to $1.5 million. Healthcare providers can also be at risk for sanctions or loss...
Written by Anne Carrie According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are nearly 385,000 sharps-related injuries that occur annually in the US healthcare industry, which is an average of 1,000 per day. A sharps injury is penetrating stab wound from a needle, scalpel, or another sharp object that may result in...
When infection control procedures are not followed, there is a risk that infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV can be transmitted. The 2003 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines provide evidence-based infection control practices relevant to the dental industry. The American Dental Association urges all dental practices to employ these infection control procedures and...
What are HIPAA and OSHA? The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was established to set national standards to protect individual’s medical records and other personal health information. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) was established to ensure safe and healthful working conditions by enforcing standards and by providing training, education, and assistance....
