Roger Steven's Page

HIPAA Compliance has recently seen big changes in how the rules are enforced for individual access requests, long-overdue changes may be coming to regulations on Accounting of Disclosures of Protected Health Information (PHI), we can expect new rules regarding the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices and calling patients’ cell phones, and a little-used…

A widespread infectious disease outbreak like COVID-19 stresses the health care system.

HIPAA Rules regarding protected health information (PHI) are not suspended, but key provisions in the Privacy Rule manage the permitted and required uses and disclosures of PHI. And, if there is a Presidential Declaration of a Public Health Emergency, the…

How safe is your healthcare facility from workplace violence? Workplace violence against healthcare workers can be significantly reduced with a comprehensive violence prevention program.

Violence against health workers should never be considered as being acceptable or “just part of the job.” Not only is there a negative impact on the psychological and physical well being of health-care staff, but also affects their job motivation. The consequence of violence impacts the quality of…

Discharge planning has become more than just the movement of the patient out of the hospital. It is a “process” that starts at the point of admission and follows the patient beyond discharge.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have recently added more “teeth” to the process as it is outlined in the Conditions of Participation for Discharge Planning. Discharge planning is no longer a destination but a process that starts before the patient is admitted to the hospital…