The Compliance Insider 

HIPAA HITECH and Omnibus have added to the requirement to allow patients to receive a copy of their medical records. In addition to a paper copy, they now have the right to receive an electronic copy if the provider... Continue Reading

It may seem like a good idea to say you will terminate employees only "for cause," particularly if you want to be perceived as acting fairly towards your workers. But, if you do, you could be limiting your ability to... Continue Reading

Despite federal mandates put in place 13 years ago to protect healthcare workers from needlesticks, they are still being stuck at an alarming rate. By some estimates, some 600,000 workers in medical clinics suffer... Continue Reading

Healthcare organizations will spend 32.8 million hours complying with the modified HIPAA Omnibus Rule, according to the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights. They state that the bulk of... Continue Reading

Last week we asked you if your practice was ready for the September 23 Omnibus enforcement deadline. How about your Business Associates? Are they ready? As the date approaches, an error that many business associates... Continue Reading

A recent report released by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) chronicled a study in which up to 30 percent of scopes used in gastro-intestinal procedures such as... Continue Reading

If you've ever gagged at having to swallow your pride at work, be thankful that medical waste was not also on the menu. A story from "down under" graphically illustrates for healthcare facilities the importance of... Continue Reading

The new HIPAA Omnibus Rule deadline for compliance is nearly here. Are you ready? What do you have to do? Learn about the Rule. Apply it in your practice. Train your employees on the changes that have been made.... Continue Reading

For nurses, working with IV catheters poses a significant risk for blood exposures, yet most incidents go unreported. Healthcare workers place more than 300 million short peripheral intravenous catheters every... Continue Reading

The theft of four computers from a Chicago-area physician group practice may have exposed information on more than 4 million patients. Advocate Medical Group, posted reportson its website that the burglary of four... Continue Reading