Many healthcare organizations aren’t doing a great job assessing the HIPAA risks associated with third parties. Some are having a hard time devoting resources. And many are worried that their current manual risk management processes cannot keep pace with cyberthreats.
Q: Would it be appropriate to query the provider for clarification if documentation for an orbital fracture doesn’t specify the location of the fracture and whether it is open or closed?
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reached a settlement with Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, a Florida hospital, for allegedly violating the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s right of access provision when it failed to give a mother timely access to her unborn child’s records, according to an OCR press release.
Food insecurity is a common problem in the United States, affecting as many as one in eight Americans. It’s a problem that can cause health complications, compound existing ones, and ratchet up the cost of care for many patients.
Q: I work for a small rural hospital, and we have a lot of budget limitations for technology upgrades. Can we allow clinical staff to use their personal cell phones and mobile devices to communicate with patients? If so, how can we keep our calls, email, and text messages HIPAA compliant?
This week's note from the instructor looks at the ongoing judicial actions pertaining to discharge appeal rights for Medicare beneficiaries assigned to outpatient status or who have received observation services.
