The HIPAA Omnibus Rule, which includes modifications to the privacy and security rules, is in full effect now. And guess what? There's no reason to be terrified.
The term "data rich and information poor" has been used to describe EMRs. Patient records are often packed with data, but that data is less than helpful if it is difficult to find at a moment's notice.
The role of the utilization review (UR) committee has changed as facilities transition from reporting condition code 44 for concurrent reviews to condition code W2 for post-discharge reviews.
When OCR resumes its HIPAA audits sometime this year, healthcare organizations can expect members of the audit team to focus on key issues identified by the federal agency.
