Let’s face it, federal rules and regulations are too complicated for even the Feds to figure them out, so it should come as little surprise that the HIPAA regulations that went into effect in March 2013 have some errors. In a final regulation to clear up “technical errors”, the feds announced June 7 that the … Read more
A maintenance error that turned off a firewall on a computer server in one of 29 clinics in the Idaho State University healthcare system exposed more than 17,500 patient records for a period of 10 months. When the breach it was discovered in 2011, ISU self-reported to OCR as required by the HIPAA/HITECH data breach … Read more
The patient presented at 5 pm with chest pains and shortness of breath. EKG and a blood draw were initiated within 20 minutes. A chest x-ray was performed in another 30 minutes. After several hours, the patient was seen by the ED physician, and then a cardiologist examined the patient. He offered the patient a … Read more
In a prior post, I mentioned that my daughter was about to release a new reference book on HIPAA and predicted the release would come in April. Wrong. College classes and a social activity or two delayed completion until now, and in spite of my grousing about the delays, her Dean’s List performance did vindicate … Read more
Hidden in false concern about patient safety, CMS enacted “Never Events” that actually were about budget cutting. They were actually “Never Pay Events”. But the false impression of such a denial is that someone is guilty of malpractice, when that is not necessarily true. Obamacare regulations and private insurance payment rules could likewise be used … Read more
What sign contents were reviewed by CMS in making their ruling on pain signs? The SC Hospital Association submitted the following language: Proposed Sign: Prescribing Pain Medication in the Emergency Department Our Emergency Department staff understands that pain relief is important when one is hurt or needs emergency care. However, providing pain relief is often … Read more
An advisory opinion from CMS to the South Carolina Hospital Association has nixed the growing practice of posting drug dispensing policy statements in the waiting area to warn pain patients that they are not going to get pain drugs that are common drugs of abuse. The goal of such signs is to discourage drug seekers … Read more
While most folks have not taken the time to read the 561-page HIPAA amendment regulation that goes into effect later this month, there is one huge issue lurking there for hospitals and physicians that use on-line services that digitally transfer, use, or store personal health information (PHI). The new regulations make these folks Business Associates, … Read more
In what could be the largest intentional wholesale breach of online privacy in history, NBC News is reporting that the Obama administration has turned over its campaign data base to a newly formed advocacy organization being set up to help ramrod administration policy through Congress. Although it is likely that individuals in the database might … Read more
In response to the release last week of the new HIPAA “mega” regulation, the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has released a proposed sample of a Business Associates Agreement that includes requirements of the new Regulation. The sample is not a required form, but provides a broad form for healthcare providers who do not … Read more