By Jennifer Lubell | August 30, 2010
| Print Magazine
As the CMS continues to tinker with its policy regarding physician supervision of services being provided in hospital outpatient departments, smaller providers say they may not have the manpower to comply with the latest revisions.
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Craig Lenz has been appointed dean of the proposed Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan, which will be developed by the Houston County Healthcare Authority and is expected to open in the fall of 2012.
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Thanks so much for the great article by Maureen McKinney on quality initiatives in behavioral health and renal care (“Quest for quality expands,” p. 10) in your Aug. 2 issue. The article did a terrific job of explaining ongoing efforts to improve quality. However, the “post-acute” category did highlight one issue that I wanted to bring to the attention of policymakers.
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By Matthew DoBias | August 16, 2010
| Print Magazine
State officials got a reprieve from the federal government last week after Congress cleared legislation that extends a higher share of the Medicaid matching rate. But after a lengthy battle on Capitol Hill, few expect to see any more extensions.
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Nursing students who paid real tuition to a fake nursing school may get their money back in a $500,000 settlement deal announced by the California attorney general. RN Learning Center of Los Angeles billed itself as a fast-track school where students could get a bachelor’s degree in nursing in less than two years.
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By Rebecca Vesely | August 16, 2010
| Print Magazine
The continued economic downturn, high uninsured rate and confusion over requirements in the new federal health reform law are fueling health insurance scams that can leave consumers deep in debt, according to federal and state law enforcement officials.
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In January 2009, HHS published a final rule outlining the steps the healthcare industry must take to update the electronic data transmissions standards used by the financial systems of hospitals, physician offices, claims clearinghouses and payers. The 34-page final rule called for a 36-month rollout period for the new data exchange standards and urged all affected healthcare organizations to immediately begin taking steps toward conversion to the new standards by Jan. 1, 2012.
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By Joseph Conn / HITS staff writer | August 02, 2010
| Basic Web
The Utah Health Information Network, a statewide health information exchange organization that provides electronic data interchange services for administrative transactions, clinical information exchange and credentialing services, has received certification from the not-for-profit Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission.
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By Maureen McKinney | August 02, 2010
| Print Magazine
The rush to improve quality through the use of performance measures is extending far beyond acute-care hospitals, as evidenced by recent moves by the CMS and Joint Commission. But despite the potential for additional reporting burdens, providers seem to have embraced the latest changes as appropriate and necessary.
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By Gregg Blesch | August 02, 2010
| Print Magazine
Federal agencies, hard at work to protect the swelling volume of digitized health information fueled by technology subsidies, have taken to task a chain of retail pharmacies accused of a decidedly low-tech breach: tossing paperwork and pill bottles in unsecured trash bins behind its stores.
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In 2004, alarmed by the potential for abusive billing practices and threats to patient safety, the American Society for Clinical Pathology launched its highly successful Stop Pod Labs Now campaign, to raise awareness of the problems these ventures pose to patient care and pathology quality.
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By Gregg Blesch / HITS staff writer | July 28, 2010
| Basic Web
A major settlement resolving possible privacy violations by the national pharmacy chain Rite Aid Corp. comes on the heels of proposed amendments to the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Alan Goldberg, a lawyer who specializes in HIPAA enforcement, said the timing of the settlement indicates that HHS remains committed to negotiating with organizations that experience security breaches. The strategy, he said, allows the government to reach settlements that compel improvement without costly and protracted litigation.
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By Gregg Blesch / HITS staff writer | July 27, 2010
| Basic Web
Pharmacy chain Rite Aid Corp. has agreed to pay $1 million and take corrective action in a settlement with HHS resolving potential violations of the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
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By Andis Robeznieks / HITS staff writer | July 26, 2010
| Basic Web
The proposed changes to the CMS credentialing rules for telemedicine services are good but not good enough, according to a letter from the American Hospital Association to CMS Administrator Donald Berwick.
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By Rebecca Vesely | July 26, 2010
| Print Magazine
Healthcare management education across the globe is also getting a closer look. The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education is studying how and where healthcare management education is being taught around the world.
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The proposed changes to the CMS credentialing rules for telemedicine services are good, but not good enough, according to a letter from the American Hospital Association to CMS Administrator Donald Berwick.
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More than ever, healthcare organizations of all types and sizes are feeling the pressure to implement specific business and clinical initiatives to meet government regulations and increase operational efficiency. Whether it is complying with quality standards or expanding the use of an electronic health record, adopting a major strategic initiative requires thoughtful analysis of the tactics it takes to get there.
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By Joseph Conn / HITS staff writer | July 19, 2010
| Basic Web
With the final rule on meaningful use of electronic health-record systems out, there's one fewer item on the federal government's checklist for implementing the EHR subsidy program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.One looming potential problem for health information technology executives, though, is the government's long delay in establishing a procedure to recognize organizations to test and certify EHRs and their modular components.
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Registration is closing soon for Modern Healthcare's July 14 webcast, "The Fallout from Radiation Overexposure: What Stepped-up Scrutiny From Regulators Means for Providers and Vendors."Ever since a surge in cases of patient exposure to excess amounts of radiation during diagnostic procedures, pressure has been mounting for healthcare providers and equipment manufacturers. The FDA has already taken action, including a call for stepped-up training for practitioners and a more stringent approval process for radiation-emitting equipment.
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Just another example of B.O.'s transparency in government (“Obama skirts Senate on Berwick appointment,” Modern Healthcare Alert, July 7). We all hope that change will come starting with this November's election. B.O. is really stinking up the office of the presidency.Robert ZolnierzDirector of pharmacyIntegris Bass Baptist Health CenterEnid, Okla.
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