by Gracie Hogue
Everyone knows that having the right IT company to serve your practice is acutely important, but how do you choose the right one? Asking the right questions will clarify whether or not the IT company you’re interviewing will meet your needs in the ever-advancing world of technology and security threats. Let’s explore some questions that you can use as your framework.
The saying “it takes a village” doesn’t only apply to raising children – there are many other businesses that keep your practice running successfully that cannot be in-house or self-supplied. This is essentially what business associates are. Here’s the more technical version: A business associate is a person or entity who performs functions or activities on behalf of or provides services to a covered entity that involves access to PHI. The HIPAA Rules require that the Business Associate will appropriately safeguard PHI.
Did you know that your policies should include donning and doffing PPE procedures? When it comes to PPE, the sequence of donning and doffing is just as important as the PPE you’re wearing. Following the proper sequence can save you time and aid your efforts in fighting the spread of infection.
Did you know that the way your Sterilization Center is set up could save you 5+ minutes per procedure and set your practice apart in infection control? Laying out your efficient Sterilization Center puts your practice in the fast lane on the road to success. Take an honest look at your practice’s Sterilization Center and compare to the layout ideas below:
Failure to provide access to one patient’s request of access to his/her medical records can lead to a hefty penalty for Health Care Providers (Covered Entities). The Office for Civil Rights settles their 16th case of the Right to Access Initiative enforcement that went into effect at the end of 2019. Sharp Health Care had to pay a $70,000 penalty for failure to take timely action in response to a patient’s records access request.
Has your Practice implemented Workforce Privacy & Security policies and procedures to determine whether a particular user has the right to access ePHI (electronic protected health information) based on his/her particular job duties and responsibilities? Some workforce members may require different levels of access based on his/her job function or role within your Practice. Do you have a technical system in place to monitor inappropriate access such as log in monitoring or other technical safeguards?
I mentioned a bluish stain along my patient’s gingival margin and asked her about her other tattoos. I marveled at the amalgamator while dusting the unused equipment in the lab (aka “the land where time forgot”). In hygiene school, I had requirements to polish them until they blinded the instructor, using Brownies and Greenies. Of course, I had a memory device for the order: “Tree trunks are Brownie, and they grow first. Greenie leaves grow last.” I certainly didn’t worry about where amalgam ended up when the dentist replaced it with composite.
Ransomware hits 400 dental offices. Cybercriminals are now demanding ransom directly from the patients according to one Florida plastic surgeon who had to post a notification on his website. Cybercriminals seek hundreds of thousands of dollars to decrypt your data held at ransom. HIPAA fines and penalties can be millions of dollars. Do you feel like you are losing your sanity trying to stay cybersane. There are effective methods to maintaining your office’s cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance.
Have you experienced bullying in the workplace? “Bullying” and abusive conduct may include persistent, multiple, unreasonable incidents that offend, degrade, intimidate, or humiliate a person.
by Olivia Wann
Calm down. Breathe.
The key to having confidence in your compliance program is preparation. This article is designed to help you prepare for an OSHA visit. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. Tennessee OSHA is an agency of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. In addition to Tennessee, there are other states who have OSHA-approved State Plans. (https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html)