Roger Steven's Blog – October 2016 Archive (13)

When HIPAA investigations relating to ransomware breaches find malpractices; it can be total jolt that can absolutely devastate the said practice or business. Discovery of this kind of breach during a HIPAA investigation can cause a major financial burden, apart of course, from severe embarrassment and ignominy.

This means that practices and businesses that…

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The combination of the implementation of new HIPAA regulations in the HIPAA Omnibus Update of 2013 and increased enforcement and audit activity has forced healthcare organizations to review their compliance and to ensure that they have the proper policies, procedures, and forms in place. Because of this, HIPAA Privacy Officers have been renewing their compliance activities and reviewing their documentation to make sure they can meet…

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With HIPAA Phase 2 audits underway, practice and business managers are on tenterhooks on the implementation part of this requirement. The biggest area of concern for these professionals is understanding ways of carrying out Phase 2 audits with a grasp of what their highest risks are for being fined.

Before the audits happen; practice managers, business managers and compliance offers need to get their HIPAA house completely in order. This preparation requires professional guidance, as any… Continue

The various programs of the CMS, such as Quality Payment Program, MACRA, MIPS and APM incentive implementation need to be given close attention if these programs have to be properly implemented. Healthcare professionals have to pay thorough and full attention to the structure and program-specific details.

This is the right time to start preparing, because the…

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All the major players in an organization that is required to carry out HIPAA audits, such as information technology managers, business managers and compliance officers, have to be conversant with all aspects of the HIPAA Security Rule as it relates to portable devices. They need to be thoroughly clear about all areas such as…

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Healthcare providers have to pay close attention to the structure and program-specific details on CMS's Quality Payment Program, MACRA, MIPS and APM incentive implementation. Since the first performance year for these programs begins on January 1, 2017 and payment adjustments will follow in 2019 (as the 2019 bonus/penalty adjustments will be based on the 2017…

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A very big misconception in the field of medicine is that biomedical writing is highly technical and replete with jargon, and therefore not creative. There is enough scope in biomedical writing for creativity and the use of artistic and imaginative words without compromising on the meaning or import of the words. In fact, resorting to the use of imaginative words…

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Practice managers, business managers and compliance officers need to have all their points in order before a HIPAA audit. They need to be fully educated about the misconceptions and realities of a HIPAA audit, since there is a lot of misinformation about HIPAA that keeps doing the rounds most of the time. These professionals who deal with HIPAA audits for their…

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The Anti-Kickback and Stark Law is a vital Act for healthcare practitioners, and it includes several changes for 2016.

Is the implementation of the Stark Law important? It is much more than being just important. It is critical. The reason for this is that lack of proper implementation of this law in its entirety attracts substantial awards and settlements, as…

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An organization that needs to be HIPAA compliant has to not only ensure that it provides the appropriate patient rights and controls on its uses and disclosures of Protected Health Information (PHI); it has to also have the proper policies and procedures in place. Any organization that is the subject of a compliance review or is being audited has to demonstrate to the government that it has both the documentation necessary for safeguarding patient PHI, as well as the ability to show…

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Any healthcare organization that is active on the social media is vulnerable to some or another kind of Protected Health Information (PHI) breach. Although a healthcare practice or business benefits greatly in terms of marketing and publicity from the judicious use of the social media for; data stored on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram leaves it susceptible…

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An organization that needs to be HIPAA compliant has to not only ensure that it provides the appropriate patient rights and controls on its uses and disclosures of Protected Health Information (PHI); it has to also have the proper policies and procedures in place. Any organization that is the subject of a compliance review or is being audited has to demonstrate to…

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Healthcare computer systems implementation can be anything from a headache to nightmare, given its complexity. Things can go wrong at any stage and for any reason. Getting the computer systems right or implementing the right one involves investment of considerable time and money from all kinds of healthcare organizations, big or small.

Fortunately, many of…

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