Q: Many media organizations are filming outside the premises or sometimes even in the hospital. When they interview hospital leaders and health officials, this can be done with things happening in the background. How can hospitals prevent accidental disclosures—a patient’s face showing up in the background during an interview, for example? What should the rules be for media looking to film at the facility?
Q: When would it be appropriate to apply modifier -62 (two surgeons) on claims for spinal procedures performed by co-surgeons, and what effect would this have on physician reimbursement?
Q: We’ve had staff members handling PHI remotely for the past month or so. We have not experienced any data breaches to my knowledge, but I’m a little worried as I read about the surge in hacks and ransomware targeting healthcare entities. What are the most important steps we can take as an organization to minimize the risk of being exploited?
Q: A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that approximately 50% of heatlhcare workers in China experienced depression and nearly 45% had anxiety. How should healthcare workers handle the emotional stress that comes with working during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Q: When dealing with a public health emergency, which disclosures are permitted to the media and which are not? Does HIPAA allow for any identifiable information to be disclosed to news organizations if the intention is to protect the public at large?
