The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed modifications to the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules in July. In light of the changes, now might be a good time to make sure you and your colleagues understand those rules.
Working with a patient who is leaving against medical advice (LAMA) can be difficult. Although the physician responsible for the patient’s medical care is primarily involved in this situation, discharge planners frequently become involved when the patient has continuing care needs.
The HIPAA Security Rule requires covered entities (CE) to conduct periodic evaluations of their information security programs.
However, Phyllis A. Patrick, MBA, FACHE, CHC, wonders how many organizations have completed the kind of evaluation the Security Rule standard requires.
On July 8, HHS released a proposed rule to modify the HIPAA privacy, security, and enforcement rules, extending HIPAA compliance requirements to subcontractors of business associates (BA) and strengthening patient rights to health information privacy.
The HITECH Act includes new privacy requirements that allow for stronger individual rights to access electronic health records (EHR) and restrict the disclosure of certain PHI.
In severity and risk adjustment, defining acute kidney disease, specifically acute renal failure (ARF) and its synonym, acute kidney injury (AKI), are confounding issues for physicians, coders, and quality specialists. When do patients with elevated creatinine levels or oliguria have ARF or AKI, a major complication and comorbidityunder MS-DRGs? How do ARF, AKI, and other terms, such as acute renal insufficiency or azotemia, factor in risk adjustment?
