Category Archives: Practice Management
Antidiscrimination in the workplace: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the cornerstone of federal antidiscrimination legislation. It was the nation’s first comprehensive federal law making it illegal to discriminate in employing anyone based on said person’s race, color , religion, gender or ethnicity. … Read Full Post
What We’re Reading – Patient non-compliance adds millions to health care costs
Patient non compliance with medications adds as much as $317 million to the nation’s health bill. The issues contributing to patients’ failure to take their meds range from cost (16%) to worry about the medication itself (15%), but by far … Read Full Post
The Basics of HIPAA (Part 5)
This is the last installment in our five-part series on the Basics of HIPAA. So far, we’ve reviewed the history behind the HIPAA law, who is required to comply with it, and what exactly is protected under this law. Today, … Read Full Post
The Basics of HIPAA (Part 4)
In this series on The Basics of HIPAA, we review the definition and meaning of the term Protected Health Information, or PHI. At the end of our conversation, you will see that the penalties for violating HIPAA are pretty severe. … Read Full Post
Electronic Prescribing: the Double-Edged Sword
In these days of information overload, it’s easy to overlook things that affect a provider’s bottom line. One such item is the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program. Established in 2009, eRx encourages eligible professionals (EPs) who render services to Medicare … Read Full Post
The Basics of HIPAA (Part 3)
In this third part of our five-part series on HIPAA, we will review the agencies overseeing HIPAA and also who is required to comply with this law. Who governs HIPAA? The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) has delegated … Read Full Post
What We’re Reading – The Forces of Nature and Lost Medical Records
After news of the 125 tornadoes that touched down in the Midwest this weekend, I recalled an article published about Joplin, MO, entitled “Lost medical records complicate Joplin hospital’s tornado recovery.” This article details how tornadoes that ripped through Joplin … Read Full Post
The Basics of HIPAA (Part 2)
Monday, we began a discussion about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and reviewed two of its early provisions: Portability and Medicare Program Integrity. Today, let’s review the most important aspect of HIPAA for the majority of providers. … Read Full Post
The Basics of HIPAA (Part 1)
HIPAA is one of the most encompassing legislative changes to happen in the US in the past 20 years. It’s also one that generates a lot of misinformation, myth and sometimes even apathy. A lot of providers believe that securing … Read Full Post
Job Descriptions & Performance Appraisals – Who Needs ‘Em?! (Part 4)
This is Part IV of our four-part series on job descriptions and performance evaluations, two tools that are underestimated in the operation of any department or business. Monday, we discussed that the two are inter-related. We suggested using the essential … Read Full Post