The Compliance Insider Blog | Healthcare Compliance Pros - Page 90

Accounting for Uses and Disclosures

Under HIPAA Privacy and as outlined on your NPP, the patient has many rights. One of these is the right to request an accounting of all non-TPO disclosures (any disclosure that is not for treatment, payment, or...

How to Prevent Injury with Needlesticks?

Needlesticks have been ranked as eighth on the list of Top 10 Health Technology Hazards for 2011. The number of reports is staggering even with the emphasis on training and prevention during the past 20...

Disclosure Requirements for MRI, CT, and PET Scans

Under the in-office ancillary exception to the Stark Law, if you refer a patient for MRI, CT, or PET scans offered by your practice, you provide notice to the patient of alternative area suppliers for the imaging...

Investigating a Harassment Complaint

All complaints of sexual or other harassment must be investigated. However, the extent and method of the investigation may vary from complaint to complaint, just as the nature of each complaint may vary. The...

Partial Reprieve on CMS e-Prescribing Penalties

Doctors who failed to do a minimum amount of electronic prescribing in the first half of 2011 will lose 1 percent of their Medicare reimbursement in 2012 if they do not qualify for an exemption. Under new proposed...

Consent for Lab Reports

Q: After meeting with physicians to review lab reports, patients often request a copy of the report. Is written consent or authorization required before the physician provides the patient with a copy? A: Written...

HIPAA HITECH Audit Program

The long-overdue HIPAA compliance audit program likely will launch late this year or early in 2012 after test audits are completed by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The first step will be the creation of a...

OSHA Compliant Disinfectants

Q: What disinfectant does OSHA recommend for protection from bloodborne pathogens? A: OSHA does not make specific product or brand recommendations, but directs healthcare providers to consult the EPA...

OSHA Semiannual Regulatory Agenda Items

OSHA recently released its semiannual regulatory agenda items and some of them could directly affect compliance in healthcare facilities. Most of the healthcare-related items are still in the pre-rule stage meaning...

Manage Your Password Properly

Selecting a strong computer password, one that is easy for you to remember but difficult for someone else to guess, is an essential step in securing your practice's information. Generally, you should select a...