Healthcare Risk Management articles from August 2007

Healthcare Risk Management archives from August 2007

No-consent study raises concern over patient rights.
August 1, 2007... No-consent study raises concern over patient rights Supporters say acceptable for consent to come from IRB The federal government is undertaking an ambitious $50 million, five-year research project that will employ a controversial...

Color-coded wristbands can be patient safety risk.
August 1, 2007... Color-coded wristbands can be patient safety risk A good idea for improving patient safety could backfire if you are not careful. Many risk managers have endorsed the use of color-coded wristbands on patients to identify allergies,...

Concerns cause hospital to tweak color coding plan.
August 1, 2007... Concerns cause hospital to tweak color coding plan One health care provider in Arizona found that staff and patient input can be key to making a color-coded wristband plan work. A plan that looks great on paper might need some changes...

Hospital begins bar coding wristbands for safety.
August 1, 2007... Hospital begins bar coding wristbands for safety Bar coding is familiar to everyone who shops, with electronic scanners reading product information and price after a quick swipe of the black and white tag through a scanner. This technology...

Closed claim study can show what's really wrong.
August 1, 2007... Closed claim study can show what's really wrong Failure to communicate is the underlying cause of many malpractice claims, according to a recent closed claim study by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in Chicago. Risk managers can...

Use standard data forms, allow narratives.
August 1, 2007... Use standard data forms, allow narratives When conducting your own closed claim review, follow this advice for the best results: *Develop a good standardized data collection form. This can make or break a closed claim review, says F....

Data help benchmark your reporting and fraud hotlines.
August 1, 2007... Data help benchmark your reporting and fraud hotlines Many risk managers use hotlines to encourage reporting of fraud and other potential problems, but how do you know if your hotline is really working? New data from an analysis of...

CNE Objectives/Questions.
August 1, 2007... CNE Objectives After reading this issue of Healthcare Risk Management, the CNE participant should be able to: *Describe legal, clinical, financial, and managerial issues pertinent to risk management in health care. *Explain how...

HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Privacy advocates say GAO testimony against HHS too soft.
August 1, 2007... HIPAA Regulatory Alert Privacy advocates say GAO testimony against HHS too soft Critics say changes to HIPAA privacy rule have not helped, question its ability to safeguard privacy While the Government Accountability Office (GAO)...

HIPAA Regulatory Alert: HHS launches web site on HIPAA privacy compliance.(Department of Health & Human Services)
August 1, 2007... HIPAA Regulatory Alert HHS launches web site on HIPAA privacy compliance Provides information on corrective actions taken To coincide with the fourth anniversary of enforcement of the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the Department of Health...

HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Audit raises concerns of data security requirements.
August 1, 2007... HIPAA Regulatory Alert Audit raises concerns of data security requirements Audit first of its kind A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) audit at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta is raising concerns in the information...

HIPAA Regulatory Alert: Companies auctioning customer records.
August 1, 2007... HIPAA Regulatory Alert Companies auctioning customer records Loophole allows auctioning off of customer records U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) says a loophole in medical privacy law is allowing pharmacies to "auction off"...

Legal Review and Commentary: Hospital's failure to prevent suicide leads to $300,000 settlement.
August 1, 2007... Legal Review and Commentary Hospital's failure to prevent suicide leads to $300,000 settlement By Blake J. Delaney, Esq., Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Tampa, FL News: A man was taken to a hospital after nearly committing suicide...

Legal Review and Commentary: Patient falls in shower after surgery, settles.
August 1, 2007... Legal Review and Commentary Patient falls in shower after surgery, settles News: A woman recovering from surgery in a hospital slipped and fell while taking a shower, which caused her to fracture two fingers. She sued the hospital and...