Focus Ligature Risk Management on Preventive Measures—and CMS/TJC Standards

5 steps to assess patient mental health proactively and consistently

Approximately 105 Americans die by suicide every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with close to 6% of these deaths occurring in a hospital setting. Understandably, inpatient suicide is a growing concern for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services More..

Beware: Physician Pay Rate Controversies Won’t End Anytime Soon

Smart: Prevent cross recovery (it’s a sleeper issue now, but not for long)

“Cross recovery” may not be a hot compliance focus area for federal and state auditors at the moment—but stricter scrutiny is on the horizon, says healthcare management consultant Duane C. Abbey. And because the cross recovery issue can rear its ugly head in a number More..

How to Comply with New ‘Ligature Risk’ Hospital CoP Standards

Watch for Joint Commission to get on board, too

Is your hospital taking steps to protect suicidal patients from ligature risks? If not, you will now face an immediate jeopardy deficiency citation. The Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals includes numerous sections, but the section that’s earning hospitals the most deficiencies is Patient’s Rights More..

Root Out Medical Office Fraud: Limit Cash Access & Look for ‘Fraud Triangle’

Physician office embezzlement is more common than you think—and money is rarely recovered

Embezzlement is a depressingly common problem for medical offices, with Healthcare Management Systems reporting that three out of four physicians will suffer a significant loss due to theft in their careers—and, further, that the theft is typically fraud perpetrated by a trusted employee. Medical consultant More..

Medical Necessity and Your Practice: It’s More Than Just ‘Doctor’s Orders’

Here’s how to help physicians document appropriately (hint: no cloned notes!)

A quick Google search for the term “medical necessity” doesn’t turn up anything you don’t already know. In fact, most sites give some version of this definition: “health care services that a physician, exercising prudent clinical judgment, would provide to a patient.” The definition’s vagueness More..

Mobile Tech Can Transform Healthcare—and Expose Patient Records

Learn how to text customers—without running afoul of HIPAA

The medical community has embraced the use of portable devices in health care settings—smartphones, tables, and laptops—both for personal and business uses. This convenience, however, comes with a major caveat—by using portable tech, staff may be violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). More..

Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections: Curb Antibiotics and Boost Handwashing

CMS hospital infection control worksheet provides assessment opportunities

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on any given day, about one in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI). The good news is that awareness and prevention strategies work to decrease HAI rates by more than 70 More..

As Opioid Crisis Grows, Advocates Push for Revised Confidentiality Rules

Disclosure laws complicate full reporting, thwarting efforts to monitor epidemic

The opioid epidemic is officially a public health emergency, and more than 100 people are dying in the U.S. each day from opioid-related overdoses. Millions of dollars are being earmarked not only for treatment but also for monitoring requirements under which healthcare organizations are obliged More..