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The first step is understanding the meaning of the legal principle and its implications. There are times when the concept of attorney-client privilege is misunderstood or not understood completely, and that’s all it takes to completely undermine the legal principle. A simple understanding of what is and isn’t privileged information can put the client at […]
The post How to Initiate and Protect Attorney-Client Privilege appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.
At some point during the late 1980s or early 1990s — I forget the exact year — someone bought a small, beige, plastic box into the office I was working in and placed it on my desk. I immediately began using it to write articles and other documents that appeared almost magically on a tiny […]
The post Jeepers Creepers, Protect Those Peepers! appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.
Amy Costigan, MD, wants to be able to practice emergency medicine without being punched in the face.
Put safeguards in place to make it harder to be a thief’s target. Embezzlement happens in large and small practices, often because there are few checks and balances to catch theft. An employee who is determined to steal will find a way, but some simple steps could prevent an employee from giving into the temptation. […]
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People regularly go overseas for healthcare to save themselves money and cut waiting times. However, there are some dangers inherent in having surgery carried out overseas and it’s worth investigating them before taking the plunge.
Things like organ operations can be secured for as much as 50% of the cost of the same procedure back in the west, and minus the long and annoying waiting lists intrinsic to the majority of western countries.
Research shows that many American citizens go overseas every year for kidney transplants. However, surveys show that people who go overseas for this kind of operation can risk greater chances of complications like infection or acute rejection, and the level of these complications is accentuated by being a medical tourist.
A piece of research from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that kidney rejection happens in up to 30% of medical tourists who undergo transplant operations abroad while just 12% of people who had operations at UCLA had kidney rejection.
The Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology reports that the most common destinations for kidney transplants via medical tourism are China (18%), Iran (12%), the Philippines (9%), India, Pakistan, Peru, Egypt, Turkey, Mexico and Thailand (3%).
However, with that in mind, the motives for becoming a medical tourist or a transplant tourist are pretty convincing. The USA has just 10,000 kidney transplant operations carried out per year, but the country has around 70,000 patients who need a new kidney. The average waiting list is around five years. Remaining on dialysis for this period is something most patients would do anything to avoid.
Some people consider it simpler and undoubtedly cheaper to seek out a transplant overseas, risking the possibility that the donor was a prisoner, deceased or otherwise.
Things to think about when considering overseas surgery:
Pick a reputable hospital or clinic
Investigate the surgeon’s qualifications and experience
Investigate the credentials of the medical board which certified the surgeon
Find out if the surgeon can speak English
Request an in-person consultation with the surgeon ahead of the operation
See what post-op care is offered
Be informed of what to in the event of complications on return home
Don’t judge on just price
Seek Advice First
Before you go ahead and book an operation overseas it’s worth speaking to a surgeon in your own country. A domestic doctor might well advise you against a procedure. If you find you require a procedure then you must talk about any likely risks and dangers inherent in the process.
If you do plump for overseas operations, it’s worth meeting your surgeon in person before you go ahead with the procedure. Check that you accept his post-op plan, and ask him about his training, experience and credentials to give yourself peace of mind.
Results
You might end up not getting what you really wanted. If you find that the operation you have abroad leaves you dissatisfied, then the surgeon won’t be there to talk to when you get back home.
People who have cosmetic surgery overseas can find that the results are not up to the level they hoped for. This means that they could then have to fork out additional money to have the work put right.
Safety
This should be one additional main worry for potential medical tourism patients – picking a facility which is regulated and subject to scrutiny is a definite. Being a medical tourist, you’ll most likely not see the hospital ahead of your surgery, and by then it might be too late to turn back.
Price
In thinking about how much the procedure will cost it’s worth considering what you get for your money. Surgery overseas might be cheap but people can risk missing out on vital aftercare, making the trip not cost-effective. Don’t forget your health is invaluable.
Post-Op Care
A major worry for people who want surgery overseas is post-op care. For example, anyone having a gastric band fitted in the UK will get years of post-op care which medical tourism cannot offer.
People who have operations privately around the world don’t get much by way of aftercare or post-op looking after, even though this is an important part of the procedure. There are lots of examples of people heading home only to find that they then experience complications that require further care.
Having no aftercare or post-op support can mean long-term problems so it’s worth checking out what kind of post-op care you actually need to make the best possible recovery.
Discover Medical Tourism is a free information site for patients to research and learn about medical tourism and dental tourism. Covering most of the major countries specializing in medical, health and dental tourism.
It’s obvious that protecting patient information is of the utmost importance, but it’s getting harder and harder to do so in the digital world we live in.
Last year, 9 out of 10 physicians said they’ve transitioned to electronic medical records (EHR) and it’s estimated that by 2018 nearly of the 3.4 billion smartphone and tablet users will have downloaded some sort of health related apps, so it’s easy to see that there are several ways for patient information to be at risk.
Roughly 90% of health care organizations experienced a data breach in the last two years and there were 253 breaches last year alone, resulting in the loss of over 112 million health records. Now that we know there’s a problem, what can we do to stop it? I’m so glad you asked. Below you’ll find 7 simple steps to keep you and your patients safe!
Conduct an annual HIPAA security risk analysis to ensure that all storage tools are secure.
All data-at-rest and all mobile devices – including tablets – should be encrypted.
Physicians and nurses need to understand how to store and send data securely. In other words, use decent passwords, log out of networks when finished and avoid using personal devices.
All networks and servers should have remote wiping or remote disabling enabled.
All firewalls and security software should be kept up to date at all times.
Develop an incidence response plan in order to contain the damage and mitigate losses.
Develop a security strategy that’s customized for the particular data an organization stores.
The majority of these simple steps aren’t time-consuming, but go a long way in helping keep our patient data out of harms way. Be sure to check out the great infographic below by our friends over at UIC for more information. What is your company doing to protect you and your patients?
Be sure to check out the Online Master of Science in Health Informatics program from UIC!
— This post How Secure Is Your Healthcare Data? 7 Steps To Protect Patient Information was written by Manny Oliverez and first appeared on Capture Billing. Capture Billing is a medical billing company helping medical practices get their insurance claims paid faster, easier and with less stress allowing doctors to focus on their patients.
The odds are high that burnout will strike every healthcare professional at some point. Health workers — as well as teachers, ministers and others in the caring professions — are at increased risk for the stress syndrome because of the intensity of their work and the emotional bonds they form with the people they’re helping.
Recognizing the signs of burnout and how to overcome it can help you and your colleagues stay healthy and motivated so you can provide your patients with the best possible care.
Generally, burnout is caused by a person’s inability to relieve the physical and mental symptoms associated with unrelenting stress. It can show up as poor job performance, an impersonality with patients and lack of motivation.
Health problems such as high blood pressure, insomnia, depression or addiction can also be signs of burnout. The degree of burnout and the way the syndrome appears vary widely from person to person. For some, it may include nothing more than negativity about the workplace. In others, it might be serious enough that a health professional has no interest in ever going back to work in the field.
Breaking down burnout will help shed light on how it may be affecting the whole person. Knowing the signs, symptoms and strategies to prevent job burnout can help you and your team give patients the best possible care.
Signs of burnout
Here are five different ways in which managers can help their staff succeed, feel a personal investment within the organization and stay healthy.
One way you can help your staff’s morale is to help them feel appreciated. It’s important for managers to show appreciation for a job well done and to take an active interest in an employee’s life. And, it doesn’t need to be complicated, a simple note of thanks can go a long way!
Employers need to encourage breaks so that their staff doesn’t overwork themselves to the point of burnout. Breaks help us walk away from stress. The first place to start? Model the behavior by taking a break yourself! See if the nurses will buddy up with each other to give each other breaks. Make your break room a calming place for the team to go. Everyone needs to get away and have a few minutes to themselves.
Packing your lunch can be the easiest way to eat right at work. It’s easy to go to the vending machine, but not good for your waistline, or your wallet. Set up a place to help your staff exercise. Why not promote a 10 minute walk break? After all, patients look to clinical teams for health advice, shouldn’t we support one another in taking care of our own health?
Practices should promote/encourage ongoing learning and different educational situations. This allows employees to feel confident and in control of their careers. Personal development is another often overlooked arena of health and wellness.
Make sure people are taking their vacation time. It’s necessary because it promotes a healthy work-life balance. They need to feel valuable to the company at which they work, and rewards like this are good thing.
Is there a cost associated with these strategies to boost team morale? Yes. But they’re worth it when people’s passion for the company they work for is rejuvenated and reinvigorated. What strategies have you used at work to help your team feel supported and engaged?
— This post 5 Ways to Protect Your Clinical Team From Burnout was written by Manny Oliverez and first appeared on Capture Billing. Capture Billing is a medical billing company helping medical practices get their insurance claims paid faster, easier and with less stress allowing doctors to focus on their patients.
Transitioning a loved one into a long-term care facility isn’t an easy decision. The patient’s families want to ensure their loved one receives the highest quality care possible. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) knows this and issued a final rule to help improve the care and safety of approximately 1.5 million Medicare […]
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