Virtual reality is not just for entertainment, it is a valuable tool that healthcare professionals can employ in clinical scenarios, according to CMSA Today. Virtual reality has been used in healthcare since the 1990s, and today serves as a valuable clinical and educational tool.
Using EHRs to share laboratory results with other hospitals within a system is associated with significant reductions in heart failure and pneumonia mortality scores, according to a study in The American Journal of Managed Care. Results showed a statistical significance of a .24 reduction in pneumonia mortality scores and a .19 reduction in patient heart failure.
Q. I recently tried to access my medical records through the hospital’s patient portal. I had a hard time logging in because it prompted me to enter codes sent to my phone several times. It was difficult to keep track of which code was the most recent. I feel like this was an unreasonable barrier. Usually, you’re given the choice to opt out of multifactor authentication or only have to enter one code along with your password. Do multiple authentication codes represent a significant barrier to patient access?
A patient came to our endoscopy suite for a bronchoscopy due to an abnormal chest X-ray. The physician documented that a transbronchial lung biopsy was obtained from the right upper lobe and the right lower lobe. What would be the correct CPT® codes to report?
CMS instructed Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) to review previously denied 2018 outpatient therapy claims reported with modifier -KX. However, because MACs might not automatically review all denied therapy claims, providers will need to initiate the process.
More than half (56%) of the respondents to Ponemon Institute’s Fifth Annual Data Breach Preparedness Study reported experiencing an organizationwide breach. Of these respondents, 51% reported that their organization’s data response plan is not very effective.
Q. My understanding is that HIPAA doesn’t mandate use of a specific security standard. Are we required to keep documentation explaining why we chose a particular security standard? I’ve also been told that we are required to encrypt data according to National Institute of Standards and Technology standards. Is this spelled out in the regulations?
