As the new year kicks off, many opt to make resolutions for the months ahead. BOH asked some privacy and security professionals to share their best tips for a productive 2015. What advice would they offer others in the industry to ensure the year ahead is a success?
At this point, there are no federally recognized HIPAA certification standards for covered entities (CE) and business associates (BA). However, that doesn't mean there are no good assessment tools out there to gauge information security and regulatory compliance. The Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) published its first common security framework (CSF) in March 2009 with the goal of focusing on information security as a core pillar of the broad adoption of health information systems and exchanges.
Case managers rejoice. CMS recently sounded what is being called the death knell of the 2-midnight rule certification in a final rule published in the November 10, 2014, Federal Register.
Do observation patients belong in their own unit? The answer is debated at many organizations. Some say establishing a separate unit brings numerous advantages, from improved ED throughput to shorter lengths of stay. Others say some facilities may not need one.
Preventing readmissions is a hot topic these days. CMS has imposed new financial penalties for organizations that don't successfully prevent 30-day readmissions for patients with certain medical conditions, and organizations are always looking for new strategies to ensure patients are successfully able to move to the next level of care.
