Articles Tagged With: COVID-19
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COVID-19 Changes HIPAA Compliance, But Caution Necessary
The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has issued waivers and notices of enforcement discretion for several issues related to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance, but healthcare organizations still must be careful to comply with the privacy law even during the pandemic.
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Department of Justice Halts Enforcement and Civil Penalties
The Executive Office for United States Attorneys recently announced that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has temporarily halted enforcement actions and the collection of civil penalties. The original period ran through May 31, but DOJ said it may extend the period.
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Handle Whistleblower Complaints with Care
At the height of the healthcare industry’s response to COVID-19, some hospital employees gained national attention for their criticism of the lack of personal protective equipment and supposed failings by their employers. Some employers appeared to retaliate against those whistleblowers, raising questions about how such complaints should be handled.
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Limited Protection from COVID-19 Liability Available in Some States
Healthcare organizations facing potential liability related to COVID-19 may have some protection available on state and federal levels. State protections vary, but one example is New York, which recently passed legislation that provides healthcare providers and facilities with immunity against potential lawsuits related to COVID-19.
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Nursing Homes Face Serious Liability Risks from COVID-19
Nursing homes and affiliated health systems may face an onslaught of lawsuits alleging they failed to properly care for residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited resources and the vulnerability of nursing home residents led to many deaths in nursing homes, and families will question whether those deaths could have been prevented.
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Chaplains ‘Uniquely Positioned’ to Help During COVID-19
Learn how chaplains can put their specialized training to use to help not only patients and families but staff, too.
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Ethicists Offer Much-Needed Support to Clinicians with Moral Distress
The issue of moral distress is nothing new in healthcare, but the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the problem. Read on to learn how ethicists can help colleagues sort through unusual feelings.
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Disciplinary Action, Terminations, Gag Orders: ‘Avalanche Effect’
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, hospitals suddenly had to determine how to ration scarce critical care resources. Hospitals could not change the fact they were caught without enough personal protective equipment (PPE) and could not immediately obtain more of it. However, they could control whether they responded ethically. Some hospitals imposed gag orders on staff, barring them from voicing concerns about PPE publicly. Nurses and physicians have been disciplined or threatened with termination for reporting inadequate PPE on social media.
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Clinical Ethicists ‘Doubling Down’ on Efforts as Hospitals Adjust to New Normal
The COVID-19 pandemic made ethics committees players of central importance. Experts highlight areas around which ethicists can shape the conversation.
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Fauci Taps the Brakes on Widespread Reopening
Warning of the risk of opening up the economy too quickly, infectious disease expert said the United States could see a painful resurgence of COVID-19.