By Ranadene (Randi) K. Tapio, MBA, CMRS, CMC, Guest Contributor bio First and foremost, a good intake system and/or form is a must! If set up properly, your intake system and/or form will collect all the necessary information you need to bill a patients insurance carrier(s). Offices should collect, at minimum, the following information: Demographics Patient's full … [Read more...] about Want to improve collections? Start by looking at your Patient Registration System
HIPAA
Healthcare organizations are deathly behind on this one cybersecurity practice
SecurityScorecard, a leader in security ratings, recently released a new report titled, "SecurityScorecard 2018 Healthcare Report: A Pulse on The Healthcare Industry's Cybersecurity Risks," which pulls data from more than 1200 healthcare companies. The research team analyzed information such as issue severity, industry-defined risk level, corporate peer performance, and more. … [Read more...] about Healthcare organizations are deathly behind on this one cybersecurity practice
HIPAA data breaches in 2017: Another record breaking year!
By Danika Brinda bio Unfortunately as promised, 2017 brought many challenges to properly protecting patient information in healthcare. We saw a record number of data breaches in 2016 with cybersecurity being on a fast and furious rise. In 2017, the trend continued with many healthcare organizations being hit with different cybersecurity attacks, resulting in data … [Read more...] about HIPAA data breaches in 2017: Another record breaking year!
Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
Is your practice HIPAA compliant? Are you sure? Most health-care providers take very seriously this federal mandate to protect patient privacy—at least in theory. In practice, however, lots of things get missed. "When HIPAA was new and everyone was going to lectures and conferences and getting training, everyone was on top of it," says Erika Adler, an attorney specializing in … [Read more...] about Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
WannaCry: Cyberattack hits critical infrastructure worldwide
By Kimberly Shutters, BCS bio A major worldwide ransomware attack, referred to as WannaCry, hit critical infrastructure and government computers starting mid-May, prompting warnings, patches, and other support to those that may have already been infected or who may be looking to prevent infection. Affected industries worldwide include healthcare, railway operations, … [Read more...] about WannaCry: Cyberattack hits critical infrastructure worldwide
Texas health system settles potential HIPAA disclosure violations
Memorial Hermann Health System (MHHS) has agreed to pay $2.4 million to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and adopt a comprehensive corrective action plan to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. MHHS is a not-for-profit health system located in Southeast Texas, comprising 16 hospitals … [Read more...] about Texas health system settles potential HIPAA disclosure violations
Is your medical practice’s social media policy adequate?
By Nick Hernandez bio By now every physician should be aware of the benefits that can be bestowed upon their practice as a result of social media. Indeed, many practices are engaging in one or more social media platforms on a regular basis. Moreover, staff members are most definitely active in social media, and probably use it while at work. Physicians and … [Read more...] about Is your medical practice’s social media policy adequate?
3 legal protections to include in your patient debt collection agency services contract
Outsourcing can be an effective way to overcome patient collection challenges. But it can also backfire if the collection agency you contract with uses illegal, unethical or insensitive collection tactics. One of the keys to managing these risks is to include proper legal protections in your services contract. This article covers the three legal protections you should include … [Read more...] about 3 legal protections to include in your patient debt collection agency services contract
Ready, Set, HIPAA Enforcement: 2017 is going to be a year to remember
By Danika Brinda bio HIPAA Data Breaches and HIPAA Enforcement were definitely off to the races in the first two months of 2017. While previous years have started slower and then gradually increased, 2017 proves to be on an advanced path. 2016 ended with a record year in HIPAA Data Breaches (329 Data Breaches greater than 500 Individuals) as well as HIPAA Enforcement … [Read more...] about Ready, Set, HIPAA Enforcement: 2017 is going to be a year to remember
For a Colorado clinic, telecommuting fills the gap in long-term absences
A large Colorado clinic has started allowing staff to work from home. But unlike most employers, it doesn't view telecommuting as a way to reduce overhead. Instead, the clinic uses it to accommodate staffers who would otherwise have to take extended time off. And it's picky about who can take advantage of it. The clinic introduced telecommuting after one staffer's child became … [Read more...] about For a Colorado clinic, telecommuting fills the gap in long-term absences