The Compliance Insider Blog | Healthcare Compliance Pros - Page 86

Sharps Disposal Containers and the Nurses Station

Q: Do sharps disposal containers have to be in each individual exam room or can we have them in the nurse's station, for private practice? A: Being in private practice has no bearing on Bloodborne Pathogen...

What Compromised Information Constitutes a HIPAA Breach?

Q. The Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 45 CFR 160.103, defines protected health information (PHI). Is the following information PHI? A practice sends a patient a letter that includes the patient's...

Preventing Workplace Violence Incidents (Part 1)

There are many basic steps you can take to lessen the risk of violent workplace incidents. This post will be part of a multi-part article regarding the prevention of workplace violence. We hope your practice...

LEIE Database Updated

The "Updated LEIE" database file reflects all OIG exclusion and reinstatement actions up to, and including, those taken in January 2012. This new, "Updated LEIE" (List of Excluded Individuals and Entities) is a...

Confused about your Risk/Gap Analysis for "Meaningful Use"?

Do you have your Risk/Gap Analysis completed for your practice, which is required to achieve "Meaningful Use" for the CMS EHR Incentive Program? The Risk Analysis provided by Healthcare Compliance Pros is the...

How EEOC Mediation Works

The following are some comments from EEOC (Equal Opportunity Employment Commission) about how mediation works and what its benefits are: An EEOC representative will contact the employee and employer concerning...

Recent HIPAA Breach Stats

Breaches involving more than 500 patients reached 385 affecting 19,016,807 individuals, according to an analysis by Health Information Privacy/Security Alert of OCR statistics from Dec. 17 through Jan. 17. That...

OCR Auditing Program

The Office for Civil Rights says that it makes sense to audit healthcare organizations of all shapes and sizes. After all, one goal of the audit program is to spur across-the-board compliance with the Health...

Alcohol-based Gels vs Hand Rubs

Which is more effective: alcohol-based gels and hand rubs, or disinfectant alcohol-based wipes? Researchers at Special Pathogens Laboratory in Pittsburgh, PA, wanted to figure out just that. Their study found...

Power of Attorney Reminder

Q. Is a power of attorney still effective after a patient's death? I was told that a woman whose husband died was not allowed to get a copy of his medical record. She had his power of attorney, but the hospital told...