This month's HIPAA Q&A includes answers on destroying paper records, doctors communicating with patients from their phones, copies of subcontractor agreements, and more!
Q: A nurse practitioner told a patient to return after an office visit if his chest pain worsened, and the provider ordered a nuclear stress test to take place the next day. Can my provider count the plan for the stress test in the medical decision-making for the previous encounter?
Q: We have recently begun to alert patients about appointments via text message. What are some things we should know about remaining HIPAA-compliant through this process?
Q: A lung cancer patient presents to the infusion clinic to receive chemotherapy treatments. The patient receives a Carboplatin infusion, a Gezmar infusion, and an Anzemet intravenous push. Which CPT codes would be used to report these services?
Q: When I attempted schedule checkup appointments for my grandchildren at my daughter's request, the practice staff informed me that I am not permitted to due to HIPAA. Is this really a HIPAA violation?
Q: If a long-term acute hospital or a skilled-nursing facility isn’t necessary for a patient, but staying at home isn’t a plausible or healthy situation, where are some other options for patients to go after a hospital discharge?
