Healthcare Risk Management – November 1, 2004
November 1, 2004
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Can’t we all get along? Here are ways to work with police without violating HIPAA
Its 3 a.m., and you get a call from the emergency department. The staff is in a heated dispute with a local police officer whos demanding information about a patient who assaulted another while waiting to be transferred to inpatient care. Your staff is worried about violating patient privacy. The officer is complaining loudly that the hospital is obstructing a criminal investigation. Whats a risk manager to do? -
Liability begins as patients bring their own equipment
Its probably not uncommon for patients to arrive at your facility with their own health care equipment, such as a home dialysis unit or insulin pump, not to mention personal items such as curling irons, computers, and hair dryers. Do you have a policy in place to make sure those items are safe? If you dont, you might be risking significant liability if those items end up injuring anyone. -
Words from the other side: Lawyers, slips, and falls
Youve probably got a defense attorney or two giving you advice on how to avoid liability in slip-and-fall cases, but wouldnt it be great to hear from the other side? Imagine if a plaintiffs attorney explained, Heres how to win when my client sues you. Healthcare Risk Management found a plaintiffs lawyer willing to give you that view from the other side, with some tips about how you can best avoid writing his client a big check. -
EMTALA fears come true with too few on-call docs
When EMTALA was finalized last year, risk managers worried that changes in the rule might mean they would find it impossible to schedule enough specialists on call to meet EMTALA needs. That nightmare is coming true. -
JCAHO and CMS to work jointly on quality measures
JCAHO and CMS recently announced the signing of an agreement to work together in completely aligning current and future common Hospital Quality Measures in their condition-specific performance measure sets. -
As complexity of JCAHO surveys rises, so do fees
Its going to cost you more for an experience youd rather avoid altogether. JCAHO recently announced overall 2005 survey fee increases across all of the organizations accreditation programs. -
Premature discharge leads to $4 million settlement
A North Carolina hospital will pay $4 million to avoid a malpractice trial on allegations that a baby suffered cerebral palsy and other neurological problems stemming from kernicterus, or severe jaundice. -
Reader Question: Terrorism insurance could be a good choice
Question: Should we invest in terrorism insurance for our facility? I hear that its growing in popularity, but should our hospital be considered a likely target? -
Prepare your facility for natural disasters
To make sure your facility has an appropriate disaster plan in place, join Thomson American Health Consultants on Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET for If Disaster Strikes, Is Your Healthcare Facility Prepared?, a timely audio conference designed to address the essential needs and requirements of hospital disaster plans. -
Legal Review & Commentary - Newborn loses finger after being burned
A mother brought suit against a hospital on behalf of her son, claiming the nurse was negligent and the hospital violated the standard of care. Prior to trial, the action settled for $1.35 million. -
Legal Review & Commentary - Patient falls and dies in TX, and $356,000 is awarded
After having been diagnosed with a broken hip, a 90-year-old nursing home resident was discharged from the hospital. Three days later, a nurses aide at the nursing home attempted to move the patient from her wheelchair to her bed by herself. The patient fell and hit her head, sustaining a subdural hematoma. She was taken back to the hospital, where she died the following day. Her estate brought suit and was awarded $856,000 by the jury. The court reduced the verdict to $356,000. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: How to implement HIPAA without breaking the bank
Thinking creatively, but not expensively, is the key to meeting HIPAA requirements with a limited budget. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Medicare to make greater use of the Internet
Medicare continues to work closely with contractors, providers, billing agents, clearinghouses, and software vendors to achieve HIPAA goals and will be making greater use of the Internet and working on implementation of electronic attachments to electronic medical records. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: HIPAA enforcement aimed at achieving compliance
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of HIPAA Standards staffer Dianne Faup says the agency has received more than 200 transaction/code set complaints, with some 58 still open at the time of her September presentation to the Ninth Annual HIPAA Summit. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert - Security rule guidance issued to covered entities
Entities covered under the HIPAA security rule are not required to certify compliance with provisions of the rule, according to guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert - Journalists complain about HIPAA privacy restrictions
The Radio-Television News Directors Association says all journalists, and particularly those working for electronic media, have been hampered in their work by actual HIPAA privacy requirements and by interpretations of those requirements by some people and organizations. -
HIPAA Regulatory Alert: In brief - Guilty plea in first HIPAA privacy case
A SeaTac, WA, man pleaded guilty in federal court to wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information for economic gain. The guilty plea entered by Richard Gibson, 42, was the first criminal conviction under the HIPAA privacy rule, according to the U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Washington. -
2004 Salary Survey Results: Incomes are up but still room to improve career path
Salary levels are up for risk managers this year but may be leveling off, according to the results of this years Healthcare Risk Management Salary Survey.