Hospital Access Management – May 1, 2005
May 1, 2005
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Scanning initiative takes Arizona facility a giant step closer to EMR
An ambitious scanning project at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford, AZ, has turned mountains and mountains of paper into easily accessible electronic medical records, consent forms, and financial documents. -
Technology focus is key to health care future
Embracing technology for solutions and fine-tuning the revenue cycle so youll have the capital needed to pay for it will be keynotes of the future for access professionals, says the patient access coordinator for Nebo Systems, a company that specializes in online real-time electronic data processing for the health care industry. -
Focus on POS collections falls short in many cases
Many hospitals arent as committed as they think they are when it comes to point-of-service (POS) cash collection, suggests one of the founding partners of IT Program Associates, an Atlanta-based company that specializes in executive advisory services around revenue cycle and information systems. -
Perception is crucial part of customer service effort
A complaint made years ago by a patient in the emergency department she was overseeing serves as a continual reminder for a former longtime patient access director who conducts customer service seminars at various health care facilities and professional association meetings. -
HIPAA FAQ explains disclosure to interpreters
When a health care provider covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) uses an interpreter to communicate with an individual, that individuals authorization is not required for the disclosure of protected health information to the interpreter, as long as certain conditions are met. -
CMS describes safeguards for electronic health data
A recent article published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) focuses on the physical safeguards required to protect electronic health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acts security rule, which became effective in April 2005. -
News Brief: NAHAM conference to be held in Tampa
Creative Solutions for Your World is the theme of the 31st annual conference and exposition of the National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) to be held this month at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, FL. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Privacy and security rules affect development of care management and outcomes improvement programs
Many managed care organizations use care management programs to improve care to members while also saving money. To effectively manage patients care, providers need the most information possible, says an attorney in the Philadelphia office of Pepper Hamilton LLP. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Process for administrative simplification complaints
In the March 25 Federal Register, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published procedures for nonprivacy administrative simplification complaints under HIPAA, along with a description of the procedures the Department of Health and Human Services will follow in reviewing such complaints. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Many are unprepared for April 20 security deadline
Many small physician practices had gaps in three key areas as they attempted to meet the April 20 deadline for HIPAA security standards, according to Dallas-based MedSynergies. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: HHS publishes paper on HIPAA physical safeguards
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published the third in a series of seven papers designed to provide guidance on the HIPAA security standards. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Group wants changes to privacy rule requirement
The Confidentiality Coalition, a group of hospitals, health plans, drug companies, medical device manufacturers, biotech firms, health product distributors, pharmacies, employers, medical teaching colleges, and others, is asking Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to use his authority to change the HIPAA privacy rules accounting of disclosures requirement. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: HIPAA’s ‘chilling effect’ on biomedical research
An editorial in the February Annals of Epidemiology expresses concern that HIPAAs efforts to enhance patient confidentiality by restricting access to medical records is slowing the progress of critical biomedical research.