Healthcare Risk Management
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Excessive Prescriptions Result in $17.6M Award In Compensatory and Punitive Damages
In 2008, a 45-year-old man’s primary care physician began prescribing powerful and highly addictive pain pills for lower-back pain. The pain pills, known as opioids, are prescribed at alarming levels for millions of patients in the United States, which results in frequent addiction and serious side effects.
Worker Fired in NFL Player Incident Sues Hospital
A secretary fired from Jackson Health System in Miami for accessing the medical record of New York Giants’ football player Jason Pierre-Paul is suing Miami-Dade County’s public hospital network. She claims she did not access the patient record and that the health system defamed and libeled her.
OCR: Ransomware Attack Is Usually a Data Breach
With ransomware attacks a continuing threat to hospitals and health systems, the Office for Civil Rights is warning that, in addition to all the other headaches, such incidents could be considered a data breach under HIPAA.
First Settlement with Business Associate Shows Focus of Office for Civil Rights
For the first time, the Office for Civil Rights has settled potential HIPAA violations with a business associate, and that settlement sheds light on how the government is assessing compliance.
HIPAA Risk Analysis Should Be Thorough And Helpful for Hospital’s Compliance
A risk analysis is fundamental to any HIPAA compliance program, but conducting one effectively can be a challenge. Too often, the risk analysis is a perfunctory task that lets you check off a requirement, when it should be a valuable tool that drives the rest of your compliance efforts.
‘Widespread Vulnerabilities’ Bring $2.7M Settlement
Oregon Health & Science University in Portland has agreed to settle potential Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act violations with a $2.7 million fine after an investigation by the Office for Civil Rights found “widespread and diverse problems” at OHSU.
Largest Data Breach of 2016 Hits Banner Health
The largest data breach so far in 2016 happened recently when hackers obtained information on 3.7 million patients and others from the computer servers of Banner Health, based in Phoenix.
Largest HIPAA Settlement Ever for Advocate
The largest ever settlement of alleged violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was made with the Chicago-based Advocate Health Care Network, one of the largest health systems in the country, which has agreed to pay $5.55 million and adopt a corrective action plan.
Doctor Challenges Medical Errors ‘Hysteria’
A report calling medical errors the third leading cause of death has serious flaws that make that conclusion invalid, according to a physician. He says the report contributes to an irrational hysteria over medical errors.
Search Warrants Don’t Mean All Access for Police
Search warrants can be more intimidating than subpoenas because law enforcement officials show up at the facility and demand access to certain areas and documents. That event can lead some risk managers or other hospital leaders just to glance at the search warrant and wave the police officers in.