In the 2018 OPPS final rule, CMS finalized a change to the current clinical laboratory date of service policies for outpatient molecular pathology tests and advanced diagnostic laboratory tests.
St. Peter’s Surgery & Endoscopy Center notified patients that their protected health information (PHI) may have been impacted in January during a breach when an unauthorized third-party accessed their servers. Letters notifying patients were mailed out on February 28, reported St. Peter’s Surgery & Endoscopy Center in a statement.
Q. We acquired a home health agency and now employ home health nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists, etc. Can we permit workforce members to use their personal cell phones to communicate with patients? Is there a HIPAA-compliant means of doing so for calls, email, and text messages?
The majority of breached patient records in January were due to hacking and insider-related incidents, according to a report by Protenus, which analyzed the 37 health data breaches reported to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in January. The hacking incident which had the biggest impact occurred at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, where an unauthorized third party gained access to the computer network, and thus access to Medicaid patient billing information.
Coding and documentation can make or break providers’ success under the Quality Payment Program. An examination of specific measures reveals coding and documentation areas to focus on.
Efficient, correct, and compliant release of information (ROI) processes are necessary to support patient care, legal processes, reimbursement, and patients’ rights. Give ROI staff and leaders a shot of energy with targeted training that adapts to their needs. Succinct modules, interaction, and a positive attitude can have a ripple effect on the department.
Q: Does a hospital need to obtain the patient's written consent before obtaining physician office notes? Can I contact the physician office and request the needed information without obtaining a written consent from the patient? The office notes are needed for payment purposes.
Electronic health records fall short of early promises that they would reduce administrative costs, a recent study found. The cost of completing insurance- and billing-related activities in the EHR can represent more than a quarter of professional reimbursement for an emergency department visit.
