(Note: The ADA applies to offices with 15 or more employees. Depending on the practice’s business structure, the physicians may be included in that count.) An amendment to the Americans with Disabilities Act is putting more employees under ADA protection. It’s called the ADA Amendments Act, or ADAAA. It went into effect in 2008, and it has broadened the definition of … [Read more...] about Watch out for ADA claims; they are now easier to file and a lot easier to win
Compliance
HIPAA compliance audits: is your practice prepared?
By Paul Edwards bio The next round of HIPAA audits promised by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been delayed since October 2014, but OCR has made it clear they are still going to happen. Their senior advisor, Linda Sanches, has informed medical office managers, "This is a good time to get your house in order." If … [Read more...] about HIPAA compliance audits: is your practice prepared?
Seven guides for a safe and somewhat pleasant firing
Firing is the most dangerous action a manager ever takes. “Yet almost everybody does it poorly,” says Joseph Godwin, a management consultant with F&H Solutions Group, a human resources consulting firm in Asheville, NC. Any fired employee is depressed and fearful of the future – and not averse to calling an attorney. Every manager needs to know how to fire without asking for … [Read more...] about Seven guides for a safe and somewhat pleasant firing
These resources help with ICD-10 compliance
If you missed Medical Office Manager's webinar, "10 Things You Must Know About ICD-10," you definitely want to review the webinar recording and slides, available here. Coding expert Judy Monestime shared information during the presentation that will help your practice meet the October 1, 2015 deadline, and provide assistance as you continue to transition from ICD-9 to … [Read more...] about These resources help with ICD-10 compliance
Three more people issues, some of them legal and some not easily answered
For a manager, the people questions never stop coming. Here are three of them – the staffer who criticizes the office or the manager, the legal issues of layoffs, and how to handle a smoker’s halitosis. They are answered by attorney Shari L. Lane of Northwest Employment Law in Portland, OR. Protected vs. snippy remarks Can the office discipline a staffer for … [Read more...] about Three more people issues, some of them legal and some not easily answered
HIPAA and records hiding somewhere in the hospital
Question: One of our physicians took patient charts to the hospital. Two of those charts were lost. They contained personal information such as Social Security numbers as well as the clinical notes. What information should I send to the patients? (Submitted by a New York manager – name withheld by request.) Answer: Respond first with common sense, advises health … [Read more...] about HIPAA and records hiding somewhere in the hospital
Fear in termination: the sympathetic plaintiff
By Steve M. Cohen bio I recently saw a story about an employee who was terminated by her (small-business) employer. This employee had numerous experiences of personal tragedy in her family. In the previous year, she had lost one of her parents, another relative passed away, and then her son developed kidney failure. She found out that she was a viable donor and … [Read more...] about Fear in termination: the sympathetic plaintiff
Patient self-scheduling offers advantages for busy medical practices
Demand for greater convenience will change the way patients schedule appointments in the near future. Approximately two-in-three patients (64 percent) are expected to book medical appointments online by the end of 2019, according to research conducted by Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company. "Just as consumers use online … [Read more...] about Patient self-scheduling offers advantages for busy medical practices
How to respond when a staffer is suspected of drug or alcohol abuse
When the manager suspects a staffer of drug or alcohol abuse, a lot of factors come into play. Yes, a medical office can require drug testing and terminate the staffer. But the manager needs to be aware of all the issues that can enter into that picture, says attorney Jeffrey M. Schlossberg of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek in Uniondale, NY. Approach the staffer in the wrong way … [Read more...] about How to respond when a staffer is suspected of drug or alcohol abuse
The ADA and mental illness, medications, suicide, alcoholism, and threats
Mental disorders, threats of suicide, medication side effects, addiction—they create some confusing issues with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Here are some points managers need to know about the ADA and disciplining, firing, and hiring staff who come under these umbrellas. They are outlined by employment law attorney Myra K. Creighton of Fisher & Phillips in … [Read more...] about The ADA and mental illness, medications, suicide, alcoholism, and threats