Q: Is it permissible to write down a patient's pending exams (e.g., MRI, ultrasound) on the patient boards located by the patient's bed in his or her room even if that patient has a roommate?
1. The audit is intended as an educational tool, but if auditors discover serious noncompliance issues, they may request OCR conduct an investigation to determine if enforcement action is necessary.
There are a number of tools on the market to assist covered entities (CE) and business associates (BA) in addressing their compliance needs. Solutions range from large governance, risk, and compliance programs to tools that assist in the development of a compliance program. When it comes to ongoing compliance management, Ostendio's My Virtual Compliance Manager™ (MyVCM™) offers a solution that is more than just a tool for an occasional look at the compliance stance of an organization.
There are times when state privacy and security laws trump HIPAA, and healthcare organizations and their business associates (BA) should have a clear understanding of their compliance obligations in the midst of what can be a complex web of regulations.
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