ABSTRACT
Physician practices worked feverishly in 2013 to thoroughly comprehend the HIPAA Omnibus, then to educate all staff that work with private health information, and finally to implement the procedures required for compliance with the new final rule. But practices must avoid complacency in the wake of last year's successful compliance efforts. They must continue to manage and monitor the rule's key issues, paying particular attention to their electronic health records system, which can be a weak link in the compliance chain. Other areas of focus for physician practices in 2014 are the appropriate destruction of obsolete medical records and the documentation of all compliance efforts.
Subject(s)
Electronic Health Records/organization & administration , Forms and Records Control/organization & administration , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act , Practice Management, Medical/organization & administration , Humans , United StatesABSTRACT
As of January 1, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services had reported 81,790 breaches of patient information in healthcare affecting millions of patients. HIPAA fines are growing, and penalties are becoming more onerous. The final omnibus HIPAA and HITECH rule has been announced, and compliance dates are set. Now is the time for medical practices to revisit HIPAA compliance, update policies, and prepare to meet new requirements. This article will help your practice protect patient information and reduce your overall HIPAA risk.
Subject(s)
Confidentiality , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act , Risk Management/methods , Theft/prevention & control , Humans , Practice Management, Medical , United StatesABSTRACT
Big data breaches grab the headlines, but mounting release of information requests pose everyday risks that require constant diligence.
Subject(s)
Computer Security , Confidentiality , Hospital Information Systems , Risk Management , Education, Continuing , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act , Humans , Risk Management/organization & administration , United StatesSubject(s)
Health Plan Implementation/organization & administration , Practice Management, Medical/organization & administration , Computer Security/legislation & jurisprudence , Computer Security/standards , Cost Control/methods , Electronic Health Records , Guideline Adherence/economics , Guideline Adherence/standards , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act , Health Personnel/education , Health Plan Implementation/economics , Health Plan Implementation/standards , Humans , Inservice Training/methods , International Classification of Diseases , Practice Management, Medical/standards , Risk Management/methods , United StatesSubject(s)
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , Computer Security/legislation & jurisprudence , Confidentiality/legislation & jurisprudence , Medical Records Systems, Computerized/organization & administration , Computer Security/economics , Economics, Hospital , Government Regulation , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act/legislation & jurisprudence , Medical Records Systems, Computerized/legislation & jurisprudence , Risk Management/economics , United StatesSubject(s)
Ambulatory Care Facilities , Guideline Adherence/organization & administration , Practice Management, Medical , Risk Management/methods , American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , Education, Continuing , Forms and Records Control/standards , Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act/legislation & jurisprudence , Management Information Systems/standards , Mandatory Reporting , United StatesABSTRACT
Outsourcing release-of-information requests helps hospitals alleviate administrative and compliance burdens and expense. Recently, state lawmakers have begun to draft legislation reducing the maximum fee that may be charged for copies of electronically stored records. The reduced fees may not cover expenses. If such legislation makes it difficult for outsourcing companies to make a profit from this service, hospitals ultimately could bear the expense and risk.
