The proposed Common Rule changes that would permit a central IRB to review multiple site studies drew passionate responses both for and against the change in the early comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Local context and the targeted populations' particular issues are important when research institutions strive to improve their human research subjects protection. IRBs and their mandate to include community members help meet this challenge.
As researchers and IRBs navigate the brave new world of Internet research, it's tempting to lump various types of research venues together applying the same rules to social media networks such as Facebook that they use for Internet chat rooms and blogs.
While no one disputes the need for IRB reviews and their importance in reversing decades-old trends of human subjects abuses, some say IRBs often ignore the risks of delaying or rejecting research by overstating the risks to human subjects.
Almost all private plans now require authorizations for radiology services, reports Richard J. Suszek, director of patient access at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO, and Missouri Medicaid began requiring authorizations in July 2010.
More often, patient access financial counselors find themselves in the unenviable position of telling patients about out-of-pocket responsibilities running into the thousands of dollars.
In a quick-moving, high-volume area such as the emergency department (ED) of Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills, MI, communication breakdowns are bound to happen between patient access and clinical staff.
If a patient complains that a registrar seemed to care only about money, or insists he or she waited way too long to be registered, Jan Fowler, director of patient accounting at Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, PA, makes a point of meeting with the staff person involved to hear their side of it.
A team of patient access specialists consisting of top performers, role models within the division, and lead personnel offer a wide range of expertise and experience to registrars at Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, NC, reports Christina Baugh, supervisor of PRN registrars and Patient Financial Service Specialists for corporate patient access.
Claims denials at The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville have increased 20% to 30%, particularly from major payers including The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, United Healthcare, and Humana, according to Stephen Hovan, executive director of patient fiscal services.
