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Home » topics » Compliance
EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

Non-compete agreements and deceiving your employer

May 22, 2023 by

By Lynne Curry Question: I was so stoked when the premier firm in my area of professional services hired me that I did something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I told my former manager what I thought of her. She ordered me to leave her company immediately. No problem, I had a new job to go to. I also had my entire future mapped out. I’d work for my new employer for a year, learn everything I could, and then start my business. I told all my friends my new job was the ideal stepping stone. On my first day when I went through orientation, my new manager handed me an employment agreement that included a noncompete agreement. It was a complete shock. I’d never seen one… . . . read more.

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YOUR CAREER

Navigating career growth: 6 advancement opportunities for medical office managers

May 17, 2023 by

Are you looking to make a move along your career path? Here are six directions a medical office manager can go, often within the same practice or healthcare organization: Practice administrator: A promotion to the role of practice administrator involves overseeing the overall operations and management of a healthcare practice. This position offers a broader scope of responsibilities, including financial management, strategic planning, staff supervision, and maintaining regulatory compliance. It provides an opportunity to take on a leadership role and shape the future of the practice. Regional manager: As a regional manager, you would oversee multiple medical office locations within a specific geographic area. Responsibilities include coordinating the smooth operation of each office, managing budgets, implementing standardized procedures, and fostering collaboration among different teams. This role allows you to gain… . . . read more.

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COMPLIANCE

Text messaging can get your medical office in trouble with HIPAA

April 12, 2023 by

There are several pitfalls associated with using text messaging in a medical office when it comes to complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. Here are a few examples: Lack of Encryption: Standard SMS text messages are not encrypted, which means that messages containing sensitive patient information can be intercepted and read by unauthorized parties. HIPAA requires that all electronic communications containing protected health information (PHI) be encrypted to protect patient privacy. Device Theft: If a mobile device containing patient information is lost or stolen, this could lead to a HIPAA violation. Mobile devices should be password protected and have the ability to be wiped remotely in case of loss or theft. Lack of Control: When healthcare providers use their personal phones for work purposes, they… . . . read more.


TELEWORK

The nomadic remote employee: Employee dream, employer nightmare

April 11, 2023 by

By Lynne Curry Question: Several of our employees regularly travel out of state. Before the pandemic, they took vacations for several days or weeks. They and we understood they were on vacation. The situation was clear cut. Our current team includes three employees who want to travel and stay for weeks or even months, in places like Hawaii and Thailand or with relatives. While they insist they can work and should receive full paychecks, this doesn’t seem fair to the rest of us who remain onsite and have to pick up the pieces when our “travelers” can’t be easily reached. We agree they can get some work done, but have no way of knowing if they’re putting in 40 hours a week. We tried to explain how messy this felt… . . . read more.

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PRODUCTIVITY

5 reasons to hire a medical scribe

March 21, 2023 by

As the manager of a medical office, you understand how crucial it is to provide quality patient care while also maintaining efficient operations. One way to achieve this is by hiring a medical scribe. In this article, we will explore what a medical scribe does, why your office might want to hire one, and how to find the right candidate. What is a Medical Scribe? A medical scribe is a trained professional who works alongside healthcare providers to assist with patient documentation. This can include recording patient histories, physical exams, lab results, and other important information in the patient’s electronic health record (EHR). Medical scribes can also help with administrative tasks, such as entering orders and scheduling appointments. Why Hire a Medical Scribe? There are several reasons why your medical… . . . read more.

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RISK MANAGEMENT

Model Policy: Medications error reporting

March 13, 2023 by

Why you need this policy:

Medications errors are among the medical issues for which medical practices must implement Quality Assurance (QA) standards, policies, and procedures. Although the objective is to prevent such errors, practices also must be prepared to respond effectively should they occur.

 

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TERMINATION

Model Policy: Progressive Discipline and Employee Termination

March 13, 2023 by

Why you need this policy:

There’s no point in having any policies, procedures, and standards unless you’re prepared to discipline employees who disobey them. The problem is that discipline is not only unpleasant but likely to result in some form of legal grievance, especially if the employee belongs to a union. That means you’ll end up having to defend your action before an arbitrator or court.

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COMPLIANCE

What does FMLA require of a medical office employer?

January 27, 2023 by

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is one of the employment laws that protect your staff. It is a federal law that requires certain employers to provide their employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for certain qualified medical and family reasons. For a medical office employer, the FMLA requires that they provide eligible employees with job-protected leave for the following reasons: The birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care The care of an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition The employee’s own serious health condition that makes them unable to perform the essential functions of their job Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse,… . . . read more.

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COMPLIANCE

What does the Americans with Disabilities Act require of your medical office?

January 10, 2023 by

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires medical offices to make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, and procedures to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would create an undue burden or fundamentally alter the nature of the services provided. This includes ensuring that the facility is physically accessible to individuals with disabilities, as well as providing appropriate communication accommodations and assistive technology. Specifically, medical offices must take the following steps to comply with the ADA: Physical accessibility: Medical offices must ensure that their facilities are physically accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes installing ramps or chair lifts for individuals who use wheelchairs or mobility devices, providing designated parking spaces for individuals with disabilities, and ensuring that doorways and hallways are wide enough for individuals… . . . read more.

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HIPAA

Proposed rule would standardize how to send health care attachments

December 26, 2022 by

It might get easier for your medical office to send healthcare attachments and electronic signatures. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has issued a proposed rule, “Adoption of Standards for Health Care Attachments Transactions and Electronic Signatures, and Modification to Referral Certification and Authorization Transaction Standard (CMS-0053-P).” If finalized, the proposed rule, would adopt standards for “health care attachments” transactions, such as medical charts, x-rays, and provider notes that document physician referrals, and office or telemedicine visits. The modifications to the HIPAA transactions would support both health care claims and prior authorization transactions, standards for electronic signatures to be used in conjunction with health care attachments transactions, and a modification to the standard for the referral certification and authorization transaction. The is a part of ongoing efforts to… . . . read more.

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