OCR posted on its website the protocol used to conduct the audits required by the HITECH Act. The OCR HIPAA Audit program analyzes key processes, controls, and policies of selected covered entities pursuant to the HITECH Act audit requirement. OCR established a comprehensive audit protocol that contains the requirements to be assessed through these performance … Continue Reading
The Office of CIvil Rights has released a memo outlining an individual’s right to access their medical information. The memo explains that though the right to see and obtain a copy of one’s medical record has always been permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule, “many consumers face barriers to getting their health information – and … Continue Reading
Contributed by Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it will adopt rules to enable Medical Body Area Networks (MBANs)). MBANs are low-power wideband networks. MBAN technology comprises multiple body-worn sensors that transmit patient data to a control device for actively monitoring a patient’s health, such as vital signs, blood glucose … Continue Reading
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published corrections to its Meaningful Use Stage 2 proposed rule in the Federal Register. “This document corrects technical errors and typographical errors in the proposed rule entitled ‘Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program—Stage 2’ which appeared in the March 7, 2012, Federal Register.” The … Continue Reading
Contributed by: Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) received a report that a physician practice, Phoenix Cardiac Surgery (PCS), was posting clinical and surgical appointments for their patients on an Internet-based calendar that was publicly accessible. OCR investigated and found that PCS had implemented few policies and procedures to … Continue Reading
Contributed by Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 Representatives from the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Utah Department of Technology Services (DTS) announced details of a data breach by hackers involving 24,000 Medicaid claims. Information which may have been compromised included names, addresses, social security numbers, birth dates, and procedure codes according to the … Continue Reading
Contributed by: Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 Previously, we commented on the ONC Mobile Devices Roundtable on March 16, 2012. Now, the video and other materials are available online. These materials may be accessed via the following link: http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__mobile_devices_roundtable/3815?q=mobiledevicesroundtable#archive. (ONC has a Youtube video channel. This link leads to that for the video content.) … Continue Reading
Contributed by: Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 The ONC Health IT Mobile Devices roundtable is being aired today, on March 16, 2012, by way of live video webcast at http://www.hhs.gov/live. Here are my thoughts upon hearing the content (which is certainly instructive and helpful) (and this was submitted to ONC Health IT for public comment): 1. … Continue Reading
Contributed by: Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 The HITECH Breach Notification Rule requires covered entities to report an impermissible use or disclosure of protected health information, or a “breach,” of 500 individuals or more to HHS and the media. Smaller breaches affecting less than 500 individuals must be reported to the secretary on an annual basis. … Continue Reading
Contributed by: Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 CMS has released the notice of proposed rulemaking for meaningful use stage 2 and has provided an overview fact sheet outlining the differences from stage 1. Link to NPRM: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2012-04443_PI.pdf Link to fact sheet: https://www.cms.gov/apps/media/press/factsheet.asp?Counter=4286&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=6&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date… Continue Reading
Contributed by Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 The HITECH Act mandates HIPAA audit and enforcement. In that vein, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a pilot program to perform audits of covered entities to assess their HIPAA Privacy and Security compliance. The covered entities to be audited include a … Continue Reading
Mobile Devices Roundtable: Safeguarding Health Information Friday, March 16, 2012, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EST Location: Hubert H. Humphrey Building U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Great Hall 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC Or via webcast (please see the HealthIT.gov link below) The Roundtable will include … Continue Reading
MARCH 8-9, 2012: Canada – US Healthcare Technology Summit: Improving Care through Innovation Thursday evening networking 3/8/12 & Educational Seminar Friday 3/9/12 Doubletree Pittsburgh As total annual U.S. healthcare costs continue to soar, the role of healthcare and technology has taken over discussions in Washington and on Wall Street – and now Pittsburgh. On March … Continue Reading
Lee Kim has been appointed to the American Bar Association’s eHealth Privacy and Security Special Interest Group as a Health Law and Policy Coordinating Committee Liaison and a Web Liaison. A new goal of this special interest group is to foster a collaborative relationship between IT professionals and healthcare attorneys so that each group may … Continue Reading
Tucker Arensberg, PC attorney Lee Kim presented a national webinar on electronic health records. It will be rebroadcast through April 2012. For more information, please access the following link: http://lawreviewcle.com/cle_mcle_credits-2012-01-18-live-webcast-introduction-to-electronic-health-records.html.… Continue Reading
The Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) has published an e-book on electronic health records authored by Tucker Arensberg, PC attorney Lee Kim, Esq. Topics include the definition and purpose of EHR systems, client server and hosted solutions, types of EHR, certified EHR technology, requirements and objectives of "Meaningful Use," Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, HIPAA, … Continue Reading
Contributed by: Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 Thursday evening networking 3/8/12 & Educational Seminar Friday 3/9/12 Doubletree Pittsburgh The Consulate General of Canada in Buffalo, along with their partner, the Western Pennsylvania HIMSS Chapter, is hosting a Canada – US Healthcare Technology Summit in Pittsburgh, PA. As total annual U.S. healthcare costs have passed $2 trillion, … Continue Reading
Contributed by Lee Kim, Esq. 412.594.3915 A vendor of web-based services to help physicians achieve faster reimbursement from payors, reduce error rates, improve collection rates, improve patient compliance and satisfaction, and more efficiently manage clinical and billing information requested an advisory opinion from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General … Continue Reading
Tucker Arensberg, P.C. attorney Lee Kim will present a CLE on electronic health records via a live video webcast which will be broadcast nationwide on January 18, 2012. Topics discussed include the following: What is an electronic health record (“EHR") system? What types of EHR systems exist? What is meaningful use? How can healthcare providers … Continue Reading
Stage 2 of meaningful use has been delayed until 2014 for Medicare EHR Incentive Program participants. Current participants will have until 2014 to comply with Stage 2 requirements. For more information: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/11/20111130a.html… Continue Reading
The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hosted a two-day health IT think tank meeting. The first day featured national speakers from Epic Systems, Cerner Corporation, CCHIT, University of Colorado at Denver, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Cleveland Clinic Health System, Quality Insights of Pennsylvania, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Tucker Arensberg. The … Continue Reading
CMS has released updated guidance on its clinical quality measure specifications for eligible professions in regard to stage 1 of meaningful use. Link to CQM Guidance: www.cms.gov/apps/ama/license.asp.… Continue Reading
CMS’ Office of E-Health Standards and Services ("OESS") has announced that it has delayed enforcement until March 31, 2012 for any HIPAA covered entity that is not in compliance with the ASC X12 Version 5010 (Version 5010), NCPDP Telecom D.0 (NCPDP D.0), and NCPDP Medicaid Subrogation 3.l0 (NCPDP 3.0) standards. However, the compliance date for … Continue Reading
This is simply a reminder that the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) pilot audit program to access the privacy and security compliance of covered entities will commence November 2011 and conclude by December 2012. The attached link provides details about the program. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/enforcement/audit/index.html … Continue Reading