Q: I perform monthly HIPAA audits of computer systems at the medical group where I am employed. I recently started auditing physicians and allied health professionals who are credentialed members of our medical staff.
Obtaining valid authorizations for disclosure is a significant area of risk for many organizations. Often, staff members handling disclosures don't understand the requirements?especially regarding when authorizations are needed and who can legally sign them. This chapter takes a comprehensive look at authorizations, including required elements, when they're needed, when they're not needed, who can sign them, and the need to screen outside authorizations.
Whether it's a precautionary CT scan that may not really be needed or a duplicate laboratory test ordered by separate physicians, many hospitalized patients are getting unnecessary tests, and experts say it's a big problem.
The 2016 OPPS proposed rule is likely to continue CMS' trend of expanded packaging and feature refinements and expansion of comprehensive APCs based on comments CMS has made in prior rules.
