My daughter has just released the second edition of her HIPAA Deskbook on Amazon. She used college vacations to expand the previous edition by more than 100 pages at dad’s prompting so I would have an expanded resource on my desk rather than searching a computer. I like to highlight and mark frequently-used sources and … Read more
On a web board today a risk manager asked about what he understood to be common ED practice — looking up patients on the internet during their visit. He wanted to know if there were legal implications, especially if the person you find is not the person who is the patient. Let’s get right to … Read more
When it comes to ED EMTALA signs, many EDs discover they are usually a “Gotcha”. Do you think I am kidding, then check out actual language from an EMTALA citation: Location 1 (satellite ED): Observation of the ambulance entrance revealed no signage posted. Observation of trauma room revealed one sign. The sign was obstructed by … Read more
An alleged failure to call in an on-call orthopedic surgeon and an apparent disagreement on what constitutes “Trauma” for transfer to a Trauma Center ultimately was resolved with $20,000 Office of Inspector General (OIG) settlement on charges against a Critical Access (fewer than 25 beds) hospital in Tennessee (December 2014). Maximum fines for violations by … Read more
A Tennessee hospital settled an Office of Inspector General (OIG) action for Civil Monetary Penalty (fine) for $40,000 in January 2015 on allegations stemming from a 2011 citation against the hospital for an alleged “patient dumping” violation. In reaching the settlement, the hospital did not admit any wrong-doing. The incident reportedly stems from an incident … Read more
A $45,000 settlement has been reached on an Office of Inspector General (OIG) Civil Monetary Penalty (fine) against a Kansas Hospital for an alleged failure to provide an adequate medical screening exam. The OIG charged that the hospital failed to provide an adequate medical exam when a woman presented to the hospital’s emergency department 38 … Read more
CMS allows you to ask for two ID elements, such as name and address or name and D.O.B. but it does not allow you to require two forms of ID — or any ID –or to go through paperwork — or for the clerk to debate chief complaint. “Well isn’t important that we get the … Read more
As of January 1, 2015: All employers* must report: All work-related fatalities within 8 hours Within 24 hours, all work-related: Inpatient hospitalizations Amputations Losses of an eye How to Report Incident Call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) Call your nearest OSHA area office, during normal business hours (www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html)
Since the Ebola issue came to the US, I have been getting questions from hospitals — and especially critical access hospitals — about whether CDC guidelines or EMTALA requirements are more important. The answer is YOU NEED TO COMPLY WITH BOTH. Join us on November 11 AT 1 PM CST for the first in our … Read more
The nurse in Dallas that “did not tell” her fellow workers that the Ebola patient had been to Liberia left me totally astounded as to her incompetence — until this morning’s issue of Out Patient Surgery Magazine that announced the truth. She was not necessarily at fault — it was the electronic medical record (the … Read more