Part two of a two-part series on HIPAA and Email In Part I of this post, we reviewed some of the statements that the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), the…
HIPAA and Email: there are rules
Part one of a two-part series on HIPAA and email. Email has been widely used by both businesses and the general public for much of the last thirty years, and…
§170.302.i … and how EHR vendors can help improve patient follow-up
The HITECH Act has brought a huge rush of EHR vendors into the market. And separating the good from the bad is ultimately found in the details where there’s an…
HIPAA and HIPAA Risk Assessment
Focused highlights about the requirements of HIPAA, HIPAA risk assessments, business associate agreements, and the security rule for meaningful use/EHR attestation. Back to Video Library Got Questions? Please complete…
Medical Record Documentation … will your’s survive a RAC audit?
Does your medical record documentation support the codes you’re using? And why should you care? Well, one reason is because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has just announced…
Focus on Skilled Nursing and the 2012 OIG Work Plan
On October 5, 2011, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published it’s long anticipated (drum roll please) … OIG 2012 Work Plan. For those of you who are not…
Skilled Nursing Facility Financing … the devil is in the details
Skilled nursing facility financing has the potential of being an intimidating process. With a bit of information, it can be less so. In part one of my long-term care financing…
Assisted Living Facility Financing … getting started
Assisted living facility financing can be a daunting task. But, it can be easier to navigate with a few basics. Here’s a story to help with the basics… The other…
OIG Work Plan Update – “What’s new for 2012?”
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released its 2012 Work Plan the other day, as they do every year at about this time. This is the annual publication that…
A Business Associate HIPAA Risk Assessment … “Why is it necessary?”
Organizations that were once “just” business associates of Covered Entities are realizing that they’re subject to HIPAA regulations to the same extent as the Covered Entities they contract with. And…
The Healthcare ACO … “What it is and why I should care”
The Accountable Care Organization, or “ACO”, is among healthcare’s latest trends. And what about the “Medical Home“? Is that the same as an ACO, or different? Some organizations, after their…
The Home Healthcare Industry has Many Changes & Challenges Ahead
No doubt about it: The home healthcare industry is booming right along with the baby boomers. The economic downturn, healthcare reform legislation, the changing preferences of seniors in America (or…
HIPAA Security Risk Assessment and Meaningful Use
There’s lots to do and keep track of when your medical practice is preparing for Meaningful Use Attestation. With that in mind, one of the Meaningful Use Criteria that I…
Business Associate Agreements – HIPAA and HITECH
Since 2003 HIPAA regulations have required that Business Associate Agreements be in place. However, some of the most far-reaching provisions of the HITECH Act of 2009 have to do with…
HIPAA Violation – Your Risk of Being Audited Just Went Up
Up to now, the many healthcare organizations that are Covered Entities under HIPAA law did not have to worry too much about outside scrutiny of their compliance activities. Most entities…
The Benefits of EHR are Many, but Most Small Practices Miss Out
A recent article in InformationWeek highlighted the slow progress in small and midsize physician practices in expanding the use and realizing the benefits of EHR technology in their offices. A survey…
Physicians To Receive 30% Less From Medicare: Are You Still In?
A couple of today’s news headlines … “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued its proposed changes to the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including a long anticipated…
Your Healthcare Project Financial Proforma – Determining cash needs
“How much cash will I need to pull this idea off?” Maybe you’ve got plans to open a new private medical practice? Or is it that you’re finally about to…
Successful EHR Implementation: Ten Ways to Improve Your Chances
An EHR system can be a significant investment, and adopting one is certainly one of the most far reaching changes that your medical practice may make. However, even with the…
EHR System Failure – the top 4 reasons installations fail
Prior to the recent surge in EHR installations, the figure most often quoted for an EHR system failure was 20%. It should be noted that figure covered a period when systems were…