Protecting your patients’ PHI does not mean just having a breach prevention plan in place and a strong risk analysis program. It’s also about preparing a breach contingency plan, because in today’s world it’s almost inevitable that you’ll experience a breach.
Social determinants of health are social factors, such as homelessness, illiteracy, a history of childhood trauma, and joblessness or underemployment, that can affect a person’s health. Coding for these factors is important because CMS officials now use some of them to adjust quality measures for patients who are dual-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and coding these factors may help shape future health policy.
On June 28, a woman from Butler, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of wrongfully obtaining and disclosing protected health information (PHI) in violation of HIPAA.
Q: I work in a skilled nursing facility and would like to post the level of assistance needed and precautions on a dry erase board in patients’ rooms for nursing assistant use. Is this allowed?
