In the middle of a heated conversation the angry family member of a patient blurts out, "I think it's time to call my lawyer. I'm going to sue." These are words that can strike fear into the most steadfast case managers. After all, lawsuits can be time-consuming and potentially costly.
The OCR continues to crack down on HIPAA breaches, but it also paused to take a look back at past incidents in two annual reports to Congress. The reports, which were released in May, summarize the reported 2011?2012 HIPAA breach and compliance activities as required by the HITECH Act. Although the data presented in the reports details the events from prior years, the causes of the breaches reported to and investigated by OCR are still relevant?and problematic?for healthcare organizations today.
Some hospital case managers may be breathing a small sigh of relief because a provision in the 2015 OPPS proposed rule would, if finalized, put an end to a burdensome physician inpatient certification requirement for most patients.
Hardware end-of-life data destruction presents a challenge in the world of healthcare. Whether the data is stored on a laptop, server, or even large biomedical equipment, the data needs to be properly destroyed before being repurposed. Green Delete, Inc., (GDI) offers secure, on-site data destruction that is efficient, quick, and environmentally friendly.
Q: I am employed by an acute care psychiatric hospital. The hospital's police department will sometimes take photographs of injuries patients have at the time of admission.
