Privacy and information security programs in healthcare organizations have developed and matured to meet the requirements of HIPAA and other federal and state laws. In some organizations, providers and managers struggle to keep pace with the changes. Expanded focus on EHR technology and new threats to the security of personally identifiable information (e.g., healthcare, financial, educational, employment) will further affect privacy and information security programs in the future.
CMS' 2014 IPPS final rule redefined inpatient admissions when it implemented the 2-midnight rule, which requires a validated physician order, documentation of medical necessity, and the expectation of a stay crossing two or more midnights.
Quality measures, such as the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program, form the basis of the 2015 IPPS final rule, released August 4.
