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Home » topics » Technology
DATA SECURITY

4 ways your managed IT provider can help with HIPAA

August 25, 2022 by

By Ron Slyker Healthcare IT can best be explained  as technology that allows the secure exchange of medical and patient information between healthcare providers, patients, insurers, and other administrative operations. With the rapid increase of healthcare companies adopting cloud technology to share files and store private data, the need to involve managed service providers to assure full compliance of HIPAA is essential. Here are four ways that your managed services IT provider should be expected to help maintain HIPAA compliance: Encryption. Your managed services provider should make sure that all your devices—including laptops, tablets, and mobile devices—are encrypted. This is the best way to secure your data. And, given that mobile malware is on the rise, you will want to make it a top priority. Set up a reporting process…. . . . read more.

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PRODUCTIVITY

Voice technology can give you an extra set of hands

August 17, 2022 by

By Philips Dictation From robotics to augmented reality and beyond, the growing prominence of technology’s role in business has been fascinating. But there is also concern that some types of technology, such as AI, may threaten people’s jobs by performing functions or even “thinking” as humans do. However, the reality is that the development of AI-related technologies, especially speech-to-text, is designed to complement human work—not replace it. There are many ways the rising popularity and adoption of speech-to-text help enhance workflows and make the day easier and more enjoyable for employees in all kinds of roles. Utilizing advanced voice solutions also helps prepare employees for future technological evolution in the workplace, keeping them on the leading edge with desirable, transferrable skills. For support staff, this is a win-win, as evidenced by these key… . . . read more.

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Remote patient monitoring on the rise

August 3, 2022 by

Is your medical practice making use of remote patient monitoring? It’s an emerging trend, judging by market growth. A press release from Allied Analytics LLP says the remote patient monitoring market was was valued at $1.9 billion in 2021, and is estimated to reach $8.5 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 16.3% from 2022 to 2031. Surge in number of populations, limited availability of hospitality beds along with upsurge in infectious virus during the pandemic fuel the growth of the global remote patient monitoring market during the forecast period. Remote patient monitoring devices check patients’ body temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, and blood pressure without invasive treatments. Day-to-day monitoring equipment, such as glucometers for diabetic patients and heart or blood pressure monitors for cardiac patients, are examples of… . . . read more.

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PRODUCTIVITY

4 ways to use voice technology to save time

July 21, 2022 by

The expectations from today’s business professionals continue to increase with an ever-changing modern world. Heaps of documentation and document creation needs add on to often already heavy workloads. Yet, there is limited to no help managing administrative tasks. As a busy office manager, there are always work processes to be improved, time to gain, and more efficient ways to bring to screen and paper what needs to be documented. When handling our day-to-day work, we often don’t think of how we could work more efficiently and are caught up in outdated processes. We try to create our documents the most straightforward way we know—by typing them ourselves. But what if you could make a small change that could be a huge time saver? As suggested by Phillips Dictation SpeechLive, here… . . . read more.

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TELEWORK

Remote staff keeping up with on-site staff, survey shows

July 12, 2022 by

When it comes to productivity, workers share more similarities than differences, new research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half shows. A survey of more than 500 professionals reveals five productivity trends that have taken shape since the shift to remote work. Productivity peaks early in the week. Employees get the most done on Monday and Tuesday, whether at home or in the office. Results are consistent with a similar survey conducted in 2019, before the rise of remote and hybrid work. Professionals have defined power hours. Most workers hit their stride in the late morning (9 a.m. to noon) and early afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.), regardless of where they sit. Very few tackle their to-dos during lunch or evening hours. Meetings are getting in the way. When asked to share what… . . . read more.

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STAFF MEETINGS

Zoom hiders: Camera shy or disengaged?

May 19, 2022 by

By Lynne Curry Question: For our mandatory manager meetings, I show up on time so my attendance is noted, and then get through the meetings by multi-tasking. It’s easy enough to hear what’s said as I get other work done. I cover this up by always making a positive comment on at least one of the manager’s proposals. I leave my video off, though, and when the manager chastised me, I compromised by turning it on at the beginning, saying “hi” to everyone, and turning it on anything important is happening, and when I’m speaking. I thought this was a reasonable compromise, so imagine my shock when my manager said my leaving the camera off was a key reason I wasn’t one of the three managers being sent to a… . . . read more.

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COMPLIANCE

5 ways your medical office can violate HIPAA

May 10, 2022 by

The HIPAA Privacy Act is a federal law that was established in 1996 to set provisions and standards for the protection of personal health information. The rule puts limits and conditions on the use and disclosure of patient medical information. It also gives patients the right to obtain a copy, examine, and request corrections to their records. Though most medical practices are very careful to keep their patients’ private health information secure, violations of this act can be costly with penalties ranging from $100 to 1.5 million per incident. Regular and ongoing compliance training for all employees is one of the easiest ways to prevent the improper use of PHI and reduce the risk of a violation. Below are a few common HIPAA violations and steps that can be taken… . . . read more.

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MANAGING PATIENTS

Make your patients happier with these communication tips

May 6, 2022 by

By Mike Rigert Even though modern patients appreciate the ease and convenience of digital communication with your practice through automated text reminders and real-time communication, we can’t lose sight of the importance that personal interaction has in keeping those relationships strong. A HealthGrades study showed that patients’ communication with front office staff are primary factors in online reviews—both positive and negative. The research found that of nearly 7 million patient reviews, the most frequently used phrases in negative comments were related to front office staff interaction. In the busy and chaotic environment your front office staff operate in, it’s easy to forget that patients still expect human connections and quality customer service during a visit. This includes everything from how to greet a patient to individual personal connections that lets each and… . . . read more.

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STAFF RETENTION

Over half of workers would quit if required to return to office

April 18, 2022 by

After two years of office spaces sitting empty, many companies are eager to call employees back for good. In a survey of more than 800 senior managers, more than half of respondents (55 per cent) said they want their teams to work on-site full time as COVID-19-related restrictions ease, nearly unchanged from a similar survey  conducted last year. Currently, 44 per cent of senior managers support long-term hybrid schedules (where staff can divide time between the office and another location) and employees’ ability to choose where they work. Managers at large companies with 1,000 or more employees (54 per cent) are most open to flexibility, according to the survey conducted by Robert Half, a specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm. The risk of an employee exodus Separate research from… . . . read more.

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MANAGING THE OFFICE

7 ways to cut costs with a greener office

April 18, 2022 by

By Daryll Esposito The well-being of our planet is a universal concern, but it’s not always front-of-mind when we’re busy at work. The good news is that making greener choices at the office is not only better for the environment, it’s better for your budget too. With Earth Day this week on April 22, it’s time to look at some environmentally friendly improvements. Some common repurposing and recycling advice is not appropriate for a medical office, where confidentiality requires paper to be properly shredded for safe disposal. Infection control requires single-use items, often made of non-biogradeable plastic, and the pandemic has only increased the need for these disposable items. On the other hand, the move to electronic health records greatly reduces paper use. 7 simple, sustainable and cost-saving steps that… . . . read more.

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