Healthcare Risk Management – March 1, 2018
March 1, 2018
View Issues
-
Hospital Takes Safety Score From ‘C’ to ‘A’ With Targeted Improvements
Two hospitals in Wisconsin undertook a concerted effort to improve patient safety after receiving a “C” from The Leapfrog Group, raising their scores to an “A” over two years.
-
Red Light Says ‘Not Now’ for Nurses in Critical Work
Red lights at nursing workstations can improve patient safety. The lights signal others not to interrupt during critical work.
-
Nurse Sues Health System for Firing After Safety Complaints
A hospital and health system in California is facing a lawsuit from a nurse who says she was fired for blowing the whistle on unsafe working conditions that threatened patients and staff.
-
Former CNO Alleges Understaffing, Violence at Psychiatric Hospital
In her lawsuit against Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital, former chief nursing officer Teresa Brooke alleges she was fired for complaining about unsafe conditions for patients and staff.
-
Make Background Screens Thorough and Efficient
Healthcare organizations are improving their ability to screen job applicants for criminal backgrounds and other disqualifying factors, but it is important to screen volunteers and others just as effectively.
-
NIST Provides Guidance on HIPAA Passwords
HIPAA regulations require healthcare entities to enact procedures for creating, changing, and safeguarding passwords, but they don’t specify the details or the required complexity of the passwords. The HHS Office for Civil Rights looks to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for guidance, so risk managers also should, one expert suggests.
-
Lawsuit Calls HHS ‘Overly Restrictive’ on Charges for Secure Access
Medical record retrieval firm Ciox Health is suing the Department of Health and Human Services for “unlawfully ... and capriciously” restricting the fees healthcare providers and their medical record vendors can charge for gathering and disseminating HIPAA-protected health information.
-
$3.77 Million to Resolve Kickback, Medical Necessity Claims
A laboratory and the owner of a lab management services company agreed to pay a total of $3.77 million to resolve claims that they were involved with illegal kickbacks and filed claims for services that were not medically necessary.
-
Jury Awards $2 Million for Negligent Hand Surgery
Improper placement of screw required three more surgeries to correct and caused lost wages and permanent disfigurement.
-
Negligent Transport of Patient Leads to Paraplegia, $8.05 Million Verdict
This case highlights the needs for thorough training of nurses who use patient lifting equipment.
-
HIPAA Allows Choice in Password Security, But Use Caution
HIPAA allows a great deal of choice in how to secure data with passwords, but one must choose carefully to ensure the information is protected from both casual snooping and sophisticated hacking.
-
HIPAA Restricts Some Photography, but Not All
Photography in healthcare settings is difficult to control but could lead to HIPAA violations if not monitored. How much one should try to control people taking pictures and video can be difficult to determine.