July 7th, 2017
Medical errors are now the third highest cause of death, accounting for more than 250,000 deaths per year in the US. (1) Second only to heart disease and cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (3) Many believe this estimate is too low and the true number of deaths is around 400,000 per year (2).
June 20th, 2017
Recently the world’s largest cyber-attack unleashed its havoc across 150 countries crippling more than 300,000 victims and hundreds of organizations worldwide. Hospitals, universities, government offices, and large business were among those affected, including sixteen NHS hospitals in the UK. Many of them had to cancel surgeries, appointments, and send patients elsewhere due to the fallout.
June 6th, 2017
Despite the change in administration, experts say The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) is here to stay and its full speed ahead. The MACRA law replaces the previous fee-for-service Medicare payment structure with a value-based pay-for-performance program built on measures of quality and efficiency. The legislation affects all healthcare providers that care for at least 100 Medicare patients or bill more than $30,000 a year. The shift from volume to value-based payment will either reward or penalize providers based upon their performance.
May 24th, 2017
Healthcare data breaches are costing the U.S. healthcare industry nearly $6.2 billion each year. (2) In fact, healthcare has the highest cost per breached record of any other industry. Why?
May 1st, 2017
Transparency is considered an essential element to improving the quality of health care. Without transparency, patients cannot make informed decisions. Without transparency, it is not possible to have a culture of safety.
April 17th, 2017
Last month, Memorial Healthcare System (MHS) agreed to implement a comprehensive corrective action plan and pay a 5.5-million-dollar settlement for the breach of protected health information (PHI) that affected over 100,000 individuals. This is the second largest fine against a covered entity to date, sending a strong message that audit controls will be a key focus for the future. (1)
April 3rd, 2017
In August, Advocate Health Care Network agreed to pay a $5.55 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR), for multiple HIPAA violations. In addition, HHS also recently announced a $650,000 resolution settlement against the Catholic Health Care Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
February 22nd, 2017
Healthcare workers are often at risk for exposure to hazards such as bloodborne pathogens, harmful chemicals, and infectious diseases. The number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in healthcare workers is among the highest of any industry. Though it is impossible to prevent all exposures to hazards, with the proper safety precautions healthcare workers can help to reduce the risk.
February 9th, 2017
Technology has become an integral part of medicine today. The right technology can assist with increased efficiency, improved quality, and reduced costs. Some of the many advantages technology can provide include the facilitation of communication between clinicians, improving medication safety, reducing potential medical errors, increasing access to medical information, and encouraging patient-centered care. The following are just a few ways technology is helping to improve patient safety:
December 1st, 2016
To prevent work-related injuries and illness, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to record work-related injuries and illnesses in an “OSHA log.” OSHA is now issuing a new rule which requires certain employers to submit injury and illness data electronically, effective January 1, 2017.
November 15th, 2016
In August, Advocate Health Care Network agreed to pay a $5.55 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR), for multiple HIPAA violations. In addition, HHS also recently announced a $650,000 resolution settlement against the Catholic Health Care Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
October 31st, 2016
Five Facts to Know about the Final MACRA Rule
October 24th, 2016
What is a Business Associate?
Business associates are considered any third-party contractor that performs work or activities on behalf of a healthcare organization or covered entity that involve the use or disclosure of protected health information (1).
October 11th, 2016
In June, the victims of the horrific Orlando shooting at Pulse Nightclub were also victims of a privacy breach when their personal health information was accessed without authorization by a few curious employees at Orlando Health Hospital. The hospital confirmed that employees have previously received HIPAA training on patient privacy. However, they are now retraining staff and increasing auditing and monitoring of patient records in response to the breach. Experts say the hospital could be responsible for penalties up to $100,000 depending on the severity. A high price for personal curiosity.
September 27th, 2016
Section 1557 is the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that protects individuals from discrimination in health care based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex; including discrimination based on pregnancy, gender identity and sex stereotyping.
September 14th, 2016
The failure to properly train employees on hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde is the second most frequently cited violation in healthcare facilities across the US. In fact, fines as much as $112,000 have been issued by The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to healthcare facilities for the failure to provide employees with the proper formaldehyde training and monitoring.
August 31st, 2016
The Stark Law can be a source of confusion for a lot of medical practices and rightfully so. It was enacted in 1989, but has since been expanded upon and revised several times, with additional phases added much later.
August 23rd, 2016
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) just issued new penalty adjustments that will go into effect this month, based on recent legislation that requires federal agencies to adjust their civil penalties to account for inflation. It has been more than 25 years since OSHA last adjusted their maximum penalties, therefor an increase of 78% will be implemented. Moving forward, penalties will be adjusted each year for inflation. Now more than ever, it is imperative for medical offices to be proactive to ensure their compliance.
August 2nd, 2016
What is MACRA?
The “Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015” or “MACRA,” was signed into law on April 16, 2015. The legislation replaces the current Medicare reimbursement schedule which is based on a fee-for-service model with a new pay-for-performance program that is focused on quality, value, and accountability.
July 22nd, 2016
In 2015, Ransomware cost the US Healthcare industry nearly 6 billion dollars. Even more concerning is that there has been a 300% increase in ransomware attacks in 2016, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government.