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Health Information Compliance Alert

HIPAA Compliance:
Are You Complying With The 'Refill Reminder' Rules?
Could your prescription drug communications land you in hot water? If you want to stay... Read more
Learn By Example:
Avoid 3 Types Of Refill Communications
Some communications about new drug formulations may fall within the exception. Even wi... Read more
Disaster Planning:
Is Your EMR System Disaster-Ready?
Tip: Rate potential disasters from full-fledged crises to small-scale events. Most hos... Read more
SNF Signature Requirements:
Heed RAI Manual Revisions On New Signature Requirements
Ensure accuracy if MDS sections have not been signed through verification. When a form... Read more
Face to Face Compliance:
Get Your F2F Documentation in Order before Denials Cripple Your Cash Flow
Reviewers are focusing on face-to-face compliance, especially the physician narrative. ... Read more
Industry Notes
 CMS Wants to Help You Benefit From PQRS If you still haven’t gotten on the... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Do You Have An Information Security Management Process?
Tip: Run your data security like a business. If you don’t have a formalized proc... Read more
Get Expert Help For Your Security Policy
Follow the right framework to create and update your policy. As you wade through the m... Read more
Privacy Breaches:
Be On Your Guard with These Vulnerable Areas
You can’t afford to fall short in your compliance efforts. Recent breaches have ... Read more
Hospice BAAs:
Cut These Unnecessary Business Associate Agreements
Are you unknowingly making these common hospice BAA mistakes? You’ll need to ste... Read more
Clip and Save:
Focus on EMR Features When Determining the Best Fit
Check this handy list to compare different systems. Finding an electronic medical reco... Read more
How Would You Handle It?
How to Work With a Talker Read the situation below, and decide how you would handle it... Read more
Home Health Compliance:
Know When To Use The Replacement ABN
Your HHABN may still apply into 2014. Just because the Centers for Medicare & Medi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Watch For ICD-10 Coding Conversion Details Next Spring
Wondering which ICD-10 codes will be linked to LCDs? The Centers for Medicare & Medi... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Be Prepared: What You Need to Know about the Revamped HIPAA Audits
Plus: Understand the new HIPAA enforcement penalty structure. Very likely, sooner or l... Read more
Checklist:
Have These Documents Handy for a HIPAA Audit
Get ahead by knowing exactly what auditors will expect. Sure, HIPAA auditors will want... Read more
Home Health Documentation:
Get Ready for the HHCCN
Don’t think of the new form as just one more piece of paper to stock and organize.... Read more
Home Health Regulations:
Make Note of When F2F is Necessary
Don’t let your patient’s hospital stay torpedo your claim for his entire epi... Read more
Nursing Facility QAPI:
Follow 6 Steps To Draft Your QAPI Goals
Create vision and mission statements if you don’t already have them. Defining th... Read more
Home Health Strategy:
Take These Steps To Combat F2F Denials
Don’t be afraid to appeal face-to-face denials. Medicare’s latest F2F guid... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Know How Your NPP Should Look By Sept. 23
Beware of new uses and disclosures requiring patient authorization. The deadline for c... Read more
You're Not Done Yet -- What To Do After You've Updated Your NPP
Also: What happens if you don’t comply by Sept. 23? After you’ve meticulou... Read more
HIPAA:
Don't Wait for Official Notification to Get Your HIPAA Audit Prep Started
The protocols are your road map to solid preparation. You need to be ready before you ... Read more
Clip and Save:
Review the 8 Pros of Practice Management Software
These perks may outweigh the high cost of implementing an MPM system. There’s no... Read more
Skilled Nursing Facility QAPI:
Expand Your Skills in QAPI to Increase Its Impact
Don’t lag behind other facilities while drafting this ‘living document.&rsqu... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
How To Properly Handle Disclosure-Restriction Requests
What’s the true impact of this new patient right? For a decade now, patients hav... Read more
Answer 6 Questions To Follow The PHI Flow
Comply with disclosure-restriction requests by reviewing internal processes. Just beca... Read more
Patient Privacy:
Get Ready For HIPAA Audits Beginning in October
Make sure you perform annual risk assessments if you receive meaningful use funding. T... Read more
PQRS:
Secure Your Bonus Pay With Appropriate Reporting
Tip: The TIN reporting entity nets the incentive pay. It’s time to evaluate your... Read more
HIPAA Breaches:
Guard Against IT-Sparked HIPAA Breaches
HHS OCR puts teeth in its fines for HIPAA violations. Don’t let a computer conve... Read more
Documentation Strategies:
Ask The Right Document Management System Questions
Look for ease of setup and integration in your paperless system. Most facilities are g... Read more
Clip and Save:
Review the 8 Pros of Practice Management Software
These perks may outweigh the high cost of implementing an MPM system. There’s no... Read more
Industry Notes
Say Goodbye To HHABN, Hello To HHCCN Home health providers can hold off on ordering an... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Are You Complying With New Health Record Access Rules?
Indecent disclosure: Why access report requirements are nothing to sneeze at. New HIPA... Read more
4 Key Questions To Ask Your System Vendor BA
Don’t be afraid to ask the BA to promise future capabilities. With so many new a... Read more
ICD-10:
New NCDs Won't Solve All Your Conversion Problems
If you haven’t converted to the 5010 platform, now is the time to do so, says CMS.... Read more
HIT:
Improve Care Quality In Your Facility, Start Using More Health Information Technology
Physically moving from one location to another to communicate information may increase i... Read more
Home Health F2F:
Beef Up Your F2F Policies And Procedures
Make your F2F documentation and practices the best they can be. Your home health face-... Read more
Home Health Regulations:
Under Increasing Scrutiny, Avoid These F2F Pitfalls
Does your docs’ F2F documentation include an explanation of clinical findings? M... Read more
Reader Question:
Find The Balance Between Identifiers And Privacy
Question: What guidelines should our behavioral health practice follow to protect the pr... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Heed 5 Expert Tips To Survive A HIPAA Audit
Use the HIPAA audit protocol to your advantage. Many other industries may not be hirin... Read more
Prepare Yourself:
What Auditors Will Look For
Focus your efforts on these hot areas. Although the HIPAA audit protocols are an inval... Read more
PQRS Strategies:
Get on Top of Your Quality Reporting to Sidestep 2015 Penalties
Watch out: The 2014 quality reporting period will determine the VBM adjustment for 2016 ... Read more
Review These Group Practice Reporting Options
If you’re reporting your quality data using the group designation, get familiar wi... Read more
HIPAA:
Third-Party Billers: Screen for Compliance
Investigate thoroughly before turning over claims processing to a third-party biller. ... Read more
Industry Notes
E-Mail Causes Hospice HIPAA Violation Make sure your staff are thoroughly trained &mda... Read more
Reader Question:
Let Medical Necessity Rule Code Choice
Question: Our physician is a very thorough documenter and treats very sick patients. Bec... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Pay Attention To 4 Key Areas That Will Rock Your HIPAA World
Get ready now for big changes to BAAs, enforcement, breaches and more. Thanks to the r... Read more
Practice Management:
Improve Office Efficiency with the Right MPM Software
Getting all the bells and whistles may be the wrong choice for your practice. You can ... Read more
Get Answers to These Critical MPM Questions
Making sure you get concrete answers to all of your questions is critical when you&rsquo... Read more
Practice Management:
Assess Needs Before Buying Any Practice Management Software
Zero in on features that your practice can’t do without. Performing a cost-benef... Read more
Privacy:
Weigh Risks Against Benefits with PHI Portal Processes
A good log out procedure is just as important as a secure log in. Your patients have t... Read more
Update Your NPP Now -- Don't Wait Until The Last Minute
Make these 5 key changes to your NPP before September. If you don’t update your ... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
How To Protect Against The Dangers Of BYOD
What HIPAA requirements apply to clinicians’ own devices? The rapidly growing ph... Read more
BYOD Breach:
Analyze 4 New Assessment Points
Understand the new definition of ‘breach of unsecured PHI.’ If you have a ... Read more
PECOS:
May 1 Is Your Deadline For PECOS Edits, Says CMS
Ensure your physician’s NPI is on the file. If your ordering/referring providers... Read more
Home Health PECOS:
Home Health Agencies: Prepare For Special PECOS Challenges
HHAs may need to refuse referrals rather than face wholesale denials. Background: Back... Read more
Electronic Medical Records:
Look Before Jumping On The EMR Bandwagon
Picking the wrong EMR system could mean losing money and system blackouts. Electronic ... Read more
Industry Note:
Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Patient Info To HHAs
A Detroit-area patient recruiter has pled guilty to his part in a $25 million fraud sche... Read more
Reader Question:
EMR Templates Need Specific Critical Care Times
Question: Would a template listing a range of time spent rather than a specific time sta... Read more
Reader Question:
Determine Who Can Perform Record Amendments
Question: If and when the patient’s electronic health medical records needs to be ... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Heads Up: Your Contracts With BAs Are Under the Microscope
Why your BAA is now more important than ever before. The “HIPAA police” ar... Read more
Ensure Your BAA Contains These Essential Items
HHS provides an updated view on what your contract must contain. Leaving even one seem... Read more
Privacy Strategies:
Nail Down Responses to Common Patient Privacy Questions
Help your front office employees provide accurate answers quickly with some pre-written ... Read more
EMR Strategies:
Watch Out: Attestations Can Help, But They Can Also Hurt
Avoid generic attestations or expect audits in the emergency department. While the use... Read more
Continuing Education:
Are You Sure Your EHR System's Compliant?
Get up to speed on security management and technical assurance of EHR. Here is your op... Read more
Industry Notes:
Industry Notes:
Could May 1 Be Final Deadline for Ordering/Referring Edits? Part B practices have been... Read more
Reader Question:
Are Unencrypted Emails Okay
Question: I recently heard that the HIPAA privacy rule was changed and it now prohibits ... Read more
Reader Question:
Signature Variations Are Acceptable, if They're on Your Signature Log
Question: We’re having trouble making sure our providers meet signature requiremen... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Drop The Signature Baton In Handing Off A Patient At Change Of Shift
Question: When an emergency physician turns an incomplete patient encounter over to a pa... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Keep Your Mobile Devices Secure -- Focus On 3 Safeguard Areas
Protect ePHI from unauthorized access even when device is stolen. Laptops, smartphones... Read more
Checklist:
Follow These 'Official' 10 Steps To Protect PHI On Mobile Devices
Check out HHS’ brand new web tools. As you’re trying to catch up with you... Read more
Compliance:
Cash In With an ERX System That's Compliant
Check out what you need to have in place to avoid pay hits next year. There’s mo... Read more
EMR Strategies:
Advice Helps You Steer Clear of Audit Pitfalls In Your ED Charts
Save time and major EHR headaches by using attestations correctly. Since electronic me... Read more
Industry Notes:
Industry Notes:
Software Vendors Now Have Steeper Fines For HIPAA Breaches Your software vendor will f... Read more
EHRs:
Analyze Your EHR Risks -- Before CMS Does
Pinpoint your vulnerabilities with a thorough risk analysis. The mounting scrutiny ove... Read more
Get Started Today:
Sample Risk Analysis Plan
Learn the basics of a complete risk analysis process. Your risk analysis process may l... Read more
ICD-10 Update:
4 Tips Ensure Smooth ICD-10 Transition
Address any potential weakness in the plan now. If you’re waiting for the pressu... Read more
QAPI Update:
Hospices: Brace For Extra Quality Reporting Challenges
Look for some maneuvering room from Medicare. Hospices shouldn’t expect to rest ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Industry Notes:
Unencrypted Laptop Leads to ePHI Breach The Hospice of North Idaho (HONI) will pay $50... Read more
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