Question: We frequently move ED patients to other beds when our 5 ED beds are in danger of filling up. In this case we admitted a patient to an observation bed on the unit awaiting the results of testing to complete the MSE. We then transferred this patient to a larger facility upon acceptance from … Read more
I am making a personal appeal to my US Congressmen and Senators to award the Congressional Medical of Honor to Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. These two men were killed in the attack on the Libyan Consulate. Why should they rate this high honor? We now know that these two former Navy SEALS were at … Read more
A bed opens up on a specialty unit. Can the ED “save” the bed for a patient who “might” need it? CMS takes the position that a bed is available for accepting a transfer unless a specific named patient has been assigned to the bed but has not yet reached the bed. The question of … Read more
Our recent webinar featuring Steve Wilder discussing OSHA Workplace Violence enforcement actions against healthcare facilities is now available online by clicking on the following link for replay times and reservations. http://goo.gl/898fu
In another case that appears to be aimed at getting physician groups to take HIPAA compliance seriously, CMS has bumped the finalcial risks dramatically with the most recent fine announcement. which takes the largest physician office fine from $100,000 to $1.5 million. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Associates Inc. (collectively … Read more
For an interesting and non-threatening approach to the topic of HIPAA privacy and security, the feds have released an online game at http://lnkd.in/NDigJx . While this game certainly is not a comprehensive staff training on HIPAA, it is a good way to open the discussion and start real training. I suggest that you use the game as … Read more
With a two-year Statute of Limitations built into the EMTALA law, does anything toll or extend the time to file a law suit? Not according to a Puerto Rico federal court. While not finding any affirmative authority for tolling, the Court considered whether “equitable tolling” or extension for fairness was an avenue to get around … Read more
While Massachusetts General Hospital got socked with a $1 million HIPAA penalty when an employee left 192 patient records in the open on a subway seat, the penalty is perhaps not the worst of the consequences. MASS General also was required to sign a Corrective Action Plan that will have the Office of Civil Rights … Read more
Outside the Emergency Department ambulances are jammed into lines waiting to deliver their emergency patients. Patients in need of life-saving care sit 150 feet from the doctors they need to save their lives, and they cannot reach them. Inside the ED doors, EMS crews stand over their patients and vainly attempt to get nurses to … Read more
Hospital A owned an Indiana ambulance that transported an EMS patient to Hospital B. While in the ambulance, the patient died. The patient’s family sued the hospital under EMTALA arguing that the hospital-owned ambulance was required to have taken the patient to Hospital A, and therefore violated EMTALA. Initially, the trial court ruled with the … Read more