Hospitals have a little more time to get a firm grasp on CMS' 2-midnight rule. CMS recently extended the probe and educate review period for the rule by six months, through September 30, 2014.
Case managers need to possess a variety of skills to work effectively with patients. They need the clinical experience to perform utilization review (UR) functions, but they also need patient support and problem solving skills.
The January 2014 quarterly I/OCE update included nearly 400 new HCPCS Level II codes, but the most significant changes for providers may center on relatively few codes, as a result of modifications CMS made in the 2014 OPPS final rule.
CMS has finalized changes to packaged services and E/M CPT® codes for clinic visits with the much-anticipated November 27, 2013 release of the 2014 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) final rule.
As healthcare organizations launch their own patient portals, there are many privacy and security issues to address. A patient portal is a secure online website that gives patients convenient access to their PHI and allows them to communicate with their healthcare providers, including physicians and hospitals.
Hospitals can make better use of their electronic health record (EHR) system's audit functions not only to guard patient privacy but also to help prevent healthcare fraud, according to a new HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) report.
