Four Healthcare Compliance Issues to Watch (March 2023)

2023-03-17T15:41:04-04:00March 17th, 2023|

Many factors over the past year have affected how your organization meets its healthcare compliance obligations. Here are four healthcare compliance issues you must have on your radar. Four Healthcare Compliance Issues to Watch — COVID Public Health Emergency Ends Barring a catastrophic spike in the infection rate from COVID-19 (or the appearance of another pandemic-triggering superbug), the U.S. Public Health Emergency [...]

Exposed: The Cerebral Health Breach

2023-03-17T15:40:18-04:00March 16th, 2023|

Wouldn’t you think a big company like Cerebral Health wouldn’t need help being HIPAA compliant? The telehealth startup specializing in mental health, says it inadvertently shared the sensitive information of over 3.1 million patients with Google, Meta, TikTok, and other third-party advertisers, as reported earlier by TechCrunch.  In a notice posted on the company's website, Cerebral admits to exposing a laundry list [...]

HIPAA Compliant Telemedicine Software: Preparing for the End of PHE

2023-03-17T15:40:19-04:00March 15th, 2023|

With the rapid advancement of technology, the healthcare industry is constantly evolving. Telemedicine is one such advancement that has revolutionized the way we receive medical care. Telemedicine allows patients to receive care from the comfort of their own homes, without having to visit a doctor’s office or hospital. However, with the rise of telemedicine, especially since the start of COVID-19 comes the need for HIPAA compliant [...]

February 2023 Healthcare Breach Report

2023-03-17T15:40:19-04:00March 14th, 2023|

Each month, we review healthcare breaches posted on the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) online breach portal to determine the leading causes and how the incidents could have been prevented. The OCR publicly posts healthcare breaches that affected 500 or more individuals to ensure that all affected patients know their information could have been potentially compromised. Based on the current numbers, February [...]

HIPAA Annual Required Training and its Purpose

2023-03-17T15:40:20-04:00March 13th, 2023|

So, you’re wondering if HIPAA training is required annually for your business? It sure is! HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal law that outlines regulations for the protection of patients' health information. As a healthcare professional, it is essential that you are well-versed in HIPAA regulations and take the necessary steps to ensure compliance. One of [...]

What is the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard?

2023-03-10T14:36:17-05:00March 10th, 2023|

The primary purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to promote and protect employee safety in the workplace. The agency does so by establishing standards for working conditions including possible exposure to hazardous substances. In medical settings, exposure to blood and any potential bloodborne pathogens is very common. Here are some tips for meeting the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard. [...]

Why You Need a HIPAA Third Party Risk Assessment

2023-03-10T14:36:20-05:00March 9th, 2023|

There’s a ton of information available about HIPAA risk assessments designed to serve as guides for a DIY process. But, most of the steps they ask you to take are not self-explanatory, and many of the terms used require a robust security vocabulary. So, how can the average person complete a security risk assessment and ensure they’ve done so correctly? Use a HIPAA third party risk [...]

Staying Clear of the Medicare Exclusion List

2023-03-10T14:36:44-05:00March 8th, 2023|

In the current labor market, the demand for qualified healthcare employees is skyrocketing. But nearly 74,000 people in the U.S. are missing out on most of these opportunities because their names are on the HHS OIG (Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General) Medicare Exclusion List. Many people have never heard of this list, and what's worse is that some people [...]

Tips to Building Your Healthcare Business Marketing Strategy

2023-03-10T14:36:46-05:00March 6th, 2023|

Marketing is an important part of any business, but it can be overwhelming to figure out how to market your business. There are so many different ways you can promote your practice, but what makes the most sense for healthcare? As a healthcare practice, you most likely won’t take out a billboard to market your services, but you might advertise on social media. Something else that’s [...]

2021 OCR Congress Reports Point to Need for Increased HIPAA Enforcement

2023-03-03T15:03:10-05:00March 3rd, 2023|

In February 2023, the HHS Office for Civil Rights released two reports to Congress, one of which discusses HIPAA complaints (HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rule Compliance) and the other discussing healthcare breaches (Breaches of Unsecured Protected Health Information). Each of these reports examines 2021, reviewing patient complaints and healthcare breaches. Ultimately, these reports point to the need for increased enforcement of [...]