Getting staff to maintain patient confidentiality goes much farther than getting them to protect electronic data…
COMPLIANCE
HIPAA extends to gossip as well as to searching out dirt on an ex-spouse
November 16, 2018 by
HIPAA
The patient privacy epidemic and what can be done about it
July 13, 2018 by
By Mark Hughes
In most medical office or hospital reception areas, speech privacy is virtually nonexistent. Because these spaces rarely have walls or partitions to block sound, patients often overhear conversations between…
INSIGHT
It’s not me, it’s you: 5 office policies to break up with
March 16, 2018 by
By Paul Edwards bio
Springtime may mean that love is in the air, but your office can’t hesitate to dump a policy that creates problems. Some policies are so…
COMPLIANCE
Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff
September 4, 2017 by
Every manager is aware of the wider doorways and lever handles and curb cuts and so on required by the Americans with…
TECHNOLOGY
Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
June 9, 2017 by
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…
WORKPLACE SAFETY
A 10-step workplace violence prevention and liability management plan
April 7, 2017 by
This will help you prevent workplace violence and manage your medical office’s liability risks.
You don’t need us to tell you that violence in the workplace has become a major societal problem. You probably also recognize that taking steps to…
BILLING & COLLECTIONS
3 legal protections to include in your patient debt collection agency services contract
March 31, 2017 by
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…
READER TIPS
For a Colorado clinic, telecommuting fills the gap in long-term absences
February 17, 2017 by
A large Colorado clinic has started allowing staff to work from home. But unlike most employers, it doesn’t…
BLOG
Pregnancy discrimination: don’t let good intentions get you in trouble
January 20, 2017 by
By Paul Edwards bio
Chances are, you would never intentionally discriminate against a pregnant employee, and your doctor(s) and team probably feel the…
COMPLIANCE
Beware of HIPAA-related text messaging risks
January 13, 2017 by
The ease, speed, and efficiency of mobile device-based text messaging has made it a primary communications tool among doctors and other health care providers, covered entities, and business associates. But this convenience can also lead to security risks, cautions Melissa (Lisa) Thompson, a shareholder in…
