Hardly a week goes by in the healthcare field without another announcement of a regulatory change, delay, or new initiative. Technology innovation seems to outpace our ability to absorb change or install the latest update on various systems and software applications.
Release of information (ROI) is typically a function that is managed by the HIM department, but privacy and security officers often play a critical role in ensuring records remain secure during transmission.
Each year, the AMA updates the Vaccines, Toxoids section of the Medicine chapter in the CPT® Manual to add or revise descriptions of newly available products. In 2015, the AMA added two new product codes (90651, 90630) and revised four (90654, 90721, 90723, and 90734).
Mental health disorders are common in the United States, with an estimated 19% of Americans 18 or older suffering from a diagnosable mental disorder, according to a 2012 survey from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced December 8, 2014, that it fined an Alaska behavioral health service $150,000 for potential HIPAA violations. OCR entered into a resolution agreement with Anchorage Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS), a nonprofit behavioral healthcare service, per the announcement (see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/examples/acmhs/amchs-capsettle...).
