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Executive Briefings Digest

This weekly news digest keeps healthcare professionals abreast of breaking regulatory and management news in the healthcare industry.

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Executive Briefings Digest

Issue 52, December 27, 2005

• Americans worried about healthcare privacy at work

  Fifty-two percent of respondents to the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) survey of 1,000...

• San Diego County adds another RHIO

  San Diego County has launched a regional health information organization (RHIO) in an effort to...

• Some drugs increase risk of death

  Elderly dementia patients are more likely to die within 12 weeks of starting drugs known as...

• Owls hold up Florida hospital construction

  A rare species of owl, known as the burrowing owl, is delaying the construction of the new Boca...

• Staffing disclosure rule becomes reality

  A rule published in the October 28 Federal Register cemented staffing disclosures for nursing...

Issue 51, December 20, 2005

• Healthvision signs with New York RHIO for information technology exchange

  Health information technology company Healthvision has partnered with the upstate New York-based...

• Medicare handbook errs on premiums

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 2006 edition of Medicare & You has a mistake...

• Grenade scare clears part of a hospital

  Authorities evacuated a section of the Albany, NY-based Stratton Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical...

• Professional associations support AAHRPP

  Seven professional organizations have decided to back the Association for the Accreditation of...

• Nebraska database a model for tracking doctors

  States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are turning to the University of Nebraska...

Issue 50, December 13, 2005

• CO mental treatment case highlights privacy rule

  Hospital privacy officials cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA...

• ACIP recommends hepatitis A shot for youngsters, pertussis shot for adults

  A panel advising the Centers for Disease Control says hepatitis A shots should be mandatory for all...

• SEIU influence spreads in Boston

  Medical workers in Massachusetts have voted to merge with a powerful New York local chapter of the...

• Court case examines three-day stay rule

  A case in U.S. District Court is challenging the three-day hospital qualifying stay requirement for...

• University Hospital faces class-action lawsuit over disclosures

  A University of Missouri facility must defend itself against a class-action lawsuit brought on...

• University Hospital faces class-action lawsuit over disclosures

  A University of Missouri facility must defend itself against a class-action lawsuit brought on...

Issue 49, December 6, 2005

• Interoperability commission argues for IT adoption

  In an October 25 report, the Commission on Systemic Interoperability (CSI) urged the federal...

• Updated HIV exposure advice from the CDC

  In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated guidelines for...

• Watch medication labels in 2006

  In 2006, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) will make sure...

• Proposed changes to therapy caps, inpatient rehab facilities

  A provision in a reconciliation budget package would extend the moratorium on Medicare Part B...

• Tennessee officials use HIPAA privacy to shield hearings from media

  Tennessee state officials cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's (HIPAA...

Issue 48, November 29, 2005

• Self-administered drugs may cause trouble for outpatient departments

  Hospital outpatient departments are in for a rude shock on the first day of the new Medicare Part D...

• Boston researchers to develop outbreak tracking system

  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Boston researchers a $4.5 million grant...

• Medicare premiums set for 2006

  The Medicare Part B monthly premiums will be $88.50 in 2006, an increase of $10.30 from the current...

• Coders can code from nonphysician documentation

  Official coding guidelines released in the fourth quarter of 2004 state that coding/HIM...

• Suite provisions receive a face-lift

  The 2006 edition of the Life Safety Code (LSC) defines the word "suite" for the first time...

Issue 47, November 22, 2005

• HHS releases proposed claims attachment rule

  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on September 23 published the proposed rule for...

• Industry group questions mandatory flu shots

  The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) states on its Web site that...

• Possible SARS connection to brain damage

  Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which damages the respiratory tract, can also infect...

• Assess diabetic residents for fall risk

  Diabetic nursing home residents are much more likely to experience falls than residents who do not...

• Multipayer EHR system aims to align disparate data sources

  Insurers Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) and Humana are working together to develop a...

Issue 46, November 15, 2005

• Part D handbooks contain error

  Medicare beneficiaries may have already received their handbooks from the Centers for Medicare...

• BCBS Texas provides electronic health records for Hurricane Rita evacuees

  BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) of Texas is allowing authorized physicians to access electronic...

• Kaiser Permanente discloses ID numbers of almost 200,000 members

  California-based Kaiser Permanente accidentally printed member identification numbers on mailing...

• FDA won’t advance safe medical device rule

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn a five-year-old rulemaking proposal to ban...

• Hospitals address bracelet concerns

  Medical bracelets, which often contain personal information such as the patient’s Social...

Issue 45, November 8, 2005

• HHS names new interoperability committee members

  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt selected commissioners for the...

• Firefighters enter an active operating room

  Firefighters responded to an equipment fire in an operating room at the University of Massachusetts...

• JCAHO includes culture of safety in 2007 draft

  After proposing to regulate a culture of safety in the National Patient Safety Goals earlier this...

• FDA provides advice for studies disrupted by Katrina

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged that each clinical trial affected by...

• HHS to add to national stockpile of influenza vaccine, antiviral drugs

  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $100 million contract to Sanofi...

Issue 44, November 1, 2005

• PA-based hospital settles improper restraint charges

  A Pennsylvania hospital has agreed to pay $200,000 to settle charges that employees used improper...

• HHS reorganizes ONCHIT

  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reorganized the Office of the National...

• Hawaii hospital loses data for 130,000 people

  Wailuku, Maui-based Wilcox Memorial Hospital (WMH) lost a computer data drive containing 12 years...

• California fines its own hospital

  The state of California fined Napa State Hospital, in Napa, CA, $80,000 in August for not following...

• Pennsylvania is next state to jumpstart a RHIO

  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality awarded Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania a...

Issue 43, October 25, 2005

• JCAHO addresses standards changes

  At the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) September 1 Hospital...

• CMS increases PAC DRGs

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services increased the number of diagnosis-related groups...

• BlueCross exposes PHI of nearly 200 policyholders

  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida inadvertently disclosed the Social Security numbers of nearly 200...

• Three tips to avoid costly credentialing lawsuits

  The increase in negligent credentialing claims has made it clear that credentialing professionals...

• MedQuist pays the price for inconsistent billing

  Last year, Mt. Laurel, NJ-based transcription vendor MedQuist, Inc., admitted to longstanding...

Issue 42, October 18, 2005

• Choose an EHR system that supports HIPAA

  Switching to an electronic health records (EHR) system is supposed to make life easier for your...

• Five steps to better fire door maintenance

  Easy maintenance steps-along with the help of clinicians and support services staff-can keep your...

• MTIA awards top transcription vendor

  The Medical Transcription Industry Alliance (MTIA) awarded the first ever Beacon Award for service...

• AAHRPP awards full accreditation to four institutions

  The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection (AAHRPP) has awarded full...

• A free online tool cross-references JCAHO provisions with the EPA

  Hospital safety officers can easily become lost in environmental standards and regulations. The...

Issue 41, October 11, 2005

• Re-examine privacy rule compliance with these tips

  Even though it’s been more than two years since the privacy rule’s compliance date...

• Use marketing techniques to increase EHR buy-in

  Well-planned and well-executed publicity of your electronic health record (EHR) can help ensure...

• Take proper steps to make sure your staff are safe from partner abuse

  Any domestic violence policy must let employees know that there are people around to help them...

• Ensure board compliance with SOX

  Now more than ever, board members need to verify that their organizations meet Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX...

• CMS offers free training tool to help with PEPPER

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is offering free Webinar training for hospitals...

Issue 40, October 4, 2005

• HIPAA violations to result in bad publicity

  Organizations found guilty of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA...

• JCAHO starts random validation surveys

  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) will conduct a series of...

• Citations under EC.5.20 rise at hospitals

  A Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) comparison of data from the...

• JCAHO publishes new medication management FAQs

  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in August published 15...

Issue 39, September 26, 2005

• CA hospital settles upcoding case for $3.6 million

  Simi Valley Hospital and Health Care Services in Los Angeles paid $3.6 million to settle...

• AHIMA urges ICD-10 adoption

  In late July, Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, and CEO of the American Health Information Management...

• Impermissible use of PHI, lack of adequate safeguards top list of complaints

  In the more than two years since most organizations first had to comply with the Health Insurance...

• JCAHO announces PPR submission due dates

  Beginning in 2006, hospitals must submit their periodic performance review (PPR) by the anniversary...

• CMS clarifies computer requirements

  When CMS published a letter this March about the need for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) to...

Issue 38, September 20, 2005

• St. Rita’s owners charged with 34 counts of homicide

  Thirty-four counts of negligent homicide were brought against the owners of St. Rita’s...

• Study: NIH often used inadequate info to approve docs' outside arrangements

  A report from Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that National Insitutes of Health (NIH...

• Survey shows compliance efforts still lag

  Even though the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act security rule compliance date...

• Physician speech linked to medical errors

  Physicians’ sloppy speech habits contribute to medical errors, according to the results of a...

• Claims must comply with HIPAA by October 1

  Beginning October 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will not process incoming...

Issue 37, September 13, 2005

• JCAHO makes change to electrolytes goals

  As of January 1, 2006, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is...

• FDA may allow unapproved device use during emergencies

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a draft guidance, which, when final, will...

• NFPA 99 clarifies the use of alcohol surgical preps

  The National Fire Protection Association amended NFPA 99, Healthcare Facilities (2005 edition), to...

• Separate payment for some packaged services in 2006 OPPS proposed rule

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) 2006 outpatient prospective payment...

• Harvard scanning project captures 20 years of data

  Harvard’s government-funded information technology research project-called the Informatics...

Issue 36, September 6, 2005

• WEDI/SNIP releases HIPAA security and disaster recovery case study

  The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange/Strategic National Implementation Process (WEDI/SNIP...

• Suspect gets jail time for posing as a doctor

  In light of reports of imposter surveyors, it’s interesting to note that a man will spend six...

• California to give fraud tipsters up to $1,000

  Smalltime whistleblowers who provide information about schemes to defraud California's healthcare...

• Government report paints dreary flu picture

  An influenza pandemic in this country would leave hospitals struggling to cope, according to...

• CMS promises further interpretation on expedited review notices

  Nursing homes have swamped CMS with questions about when to issue the new notices and when to give...

Issue 35, August 30, 2005

• Experts say Scrushy verdict won't lessen SOX impact

  Now that Scrushy acquitted himself of charges that he violated SOX regulations, experts say the...

• Long-term care costs climb 6% over past year

  Long-term care costs continue to climb faster than inflation, resulting in a 6% increase in the...

• CA hospitals get quake retrofit reprieve

  The California state senate gave hospitals an additional 12 years to make their buildings safe from...

• Survey: Some say nursing homes make patients worse off

  Nursing home administrators may want to check out a survey that asked Americans their opinions...

• CMS issues guidance letter for resident complaints

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published information on how survey agencies...

Issue 34, August 23, 2005

• Ethics expert calls for reform of adverse event reporting system

  People considering joining a clinical trial should know about the likelihood of adverse events that...

• DAVE lives on for intermediaries

  Those who thought they had seen the last of the Data Assessment and Verification (DAVE) program can...

• Committee studying autocoding-fraud links

  The Foundation of Research and Education of the American Health Information Management Association...

• CA Department of Managed Health Care fines Kaiser $200k for privacy violation

  The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) fined Kaiser Foundation Health Plan...

• Study: Hospitalists a response to malpractice concerns

  Although improving all aspects of patient care and alleviating financial pressures are the most...

Issue 33, August 16, 2005

• PPR requirement becomes annual

  After much speculation, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO...

• Industry endorses interoperability definition

  To promote health information technology (HIT), the National Alliance for Health Information...

• Skilled nursing facilities can help residents with Part D

  The government has released a new Medlearn Matters article for skilled nursing facilities to help...

• Mayo Foundation settles grant fund allegations for $6.5 million

  In late May, the Rochester, MN-based Mayo Foundation-parent of the Mayo Clinic-settled a case with...

• The JCAHO may augment disaster credentialing

  The JCAHO is considering expanding its standard relating to granting clinicians privileges during...

Issue 32, August 9, 2005

• JCAHO fixes software glitch

  The New York Times reported on June 24 that Accreditation Manager Plus (AMP), an expensive software...

• New Texas law requires physicians to disclose hospital ownership

  In Texas, the state with the highest number of physician-owned hospitals, a new law will make it...

• Poll: Fewer opportunities in 2005 to participate in clinical trials

  In 2005, 10% of surveyed adults report they have participated in a clinical trial, down slightly...

• New Jersey law heightens health employee screening with background checks

  In May, the New Jersey legislature enacted the Health Care Professional Responsibility and...

• At-home coding a success

  Since Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital established a remote coding option in 2003, the hospital...

Issue 31, August 2, 2005

• Turnover is QIO’s latest focus

  You may consider state quality improvement organizations (QIO) resources to help you improve your...

• CMS lays down new rules for coverage of motorized wheelchairs

  CMS has published a National Coverage Decision (NCD) regarding mobility assistive equipment in the...

• New department addresses all aspects of coding

  Centura Health, Colorado’s largest healthcare system, put its coders and the coding function...

• JCAHO wants to toughen disaster drill rules

  As the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) considers industry...

• Complaint filed on behalf of LEP patients

  Four New York City hospitals came under fire by immigrant and other advocacy groups for not...

Issue 25, June 22, 2005

• CMS releases FAQs about HIPAA security

  CMS posted five new frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the HIPAA security rule.

• CA nurses win tentative ruling in staffing lawsuit

  California’s nurses won a tentative decision in superior court May 26, when a judge ruled...

• CMS targets postacute care in IPPS proposed rule

  Aside from the expected new ICD-9-CM codes and DRG reshuffling that come every year, this...

• San Diego company announces human testing for West Nile virus

  Vical Inc., a San Diego biopharmaceutical company, announced recently that initial human testing of...

• HHS publishes NPRM on HIPAA enforcement

  HHS published in the April 18 Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that amends...

Issue 24, June 14, 2005

• Feds offer tips in light of imposter surveyors

  The American Hospital Association passed a bulletin to its members from the U.S. Department of...

• Three HL7 standards approved

  In May, the American National Standards Institute approved three specifications within Health Level...

• Study finds more residents, shorter stays

  The number of residents in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) increased from an average of 1.28...

• Asian flu testing kits are destroyed

  It’s believed that nearly all lab proficiency tests that accidentally included a potentially...

• Leavitt pushes for HIT investment to promote adoption

  In May, Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt called for...

Issue 17, April 28, 2005

• FDA warns of contaminated syringes

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has alerted hospitals about avoiding certain syringes...

• Senate rejects Medicaid cuts

  The U.S. Senate voted 52-48 in March to preserve Medicaid funding, the Associated Press reported...

• Kentucky to create HIPAA-compliant network

  In March, the Kentucky state government passed a bill that authorizes the creation of a statewide...

• PT schools to include doctoral programs

  An aging population and increased demand for physical therapy services have prompted Dominican...

• Oklahoma aims to improve oversight board

  Oklahoma will overhaul its state board of examiners for nursing home administrators, the Oklahoma...

Issue 16, April 19, 2005

• Survey results confirm high rehab vacancies

  Survey results confirm high rehab vacancies

• Prepare for National Nursing Home Week

  Prepare for National Nursing Home Week

• Possible seismic relief for California sites

  Possible seismic relief for California sites

• Children with asthma, hayfever allergies incur more medical care costs

  Children with asthma, hayfever allergies incur more medical care costs than others

• Office for Civil Rights posts two new HIPAA FAQs

  Office for Civil Rights posts two new HIPAA FAQs

Issue 15, April 12, 2005

• A big blood drive-literally

  A big blood drive-literally

• Indiana names panel to combat asthma

  Indiana names panel to combat asthma

• Elderly vets may lose funding

  Elderly vets may lose funding

• Tobacco companies tried to counteract studies that linked smoking to cancer

  Study: Tobacco companies tried to counteract studies that linked smoking to cancer

• Nurse, is that a bat overhead?

  Nurse, is that a bat overhead?

Issue 14, April 5, 2005

• Hospitals must set SOC qualifications

  Hospitals must set SOC qualifications

• Idaho state senator says former servicepeople should be free to smoke in veteran

  Idaho state senator says former servicepeople should be free to smoke in veterans’ homes

• A closer look at CMS' Report to Congress

  A closer look at CMS' Report to Congress

• Family settles in choking case

  Family settles in choking case

• New Web resource for computer disposal

  New Web resource for computer disposal

Issue 13, March 29, 2005 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Corrective measures for sleep apnea in children improve behavioral and emotional

  Children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often display behavioral and emotional difficulties...

• Jury award hinged on resident and malpractice cap

  A December 2004 jury award of $17.4 million, with an additional $9 million in interest, hinged on...

• CDC admits gaffe in its 2004 estimate of future smoking, obesity death tolls

  Turns out that smoking will remain the number-one cause of preventable death for some time to...

Issue 12, March 22, 2005

• Newspapers sue for release of 9-1-1 tapes

  Newspapers sue for release of 9-1-1 tapes

• Group asks for modifications to privacy rule

  Group asks for modifications to privacy rule

• Healthcare executives say snail pace of IT adoption could harm industry

  Thirty-eight percent of healthcare executives say the slow adoption of information technology (IT...

• Standards groups join forces for interoperability

  Standards groups join forces for interoperability

• Collaborative seeks input about healthcare claims attachments next up for HIPAA

  Collaborative seeks input about healthcare claims attachments next up for HIPAA

Issue 10, March 8, 2005

• The JCAHO may promote SOC competence

  The JCAHO may promote SOC competence

• IRFs unhappy with new Medicare requirement

  IRFs unhappy with new Medicare requirement

• Earnings survey coming this summer

  Earnings survey coming this summer

• Medicare carriers to answer faster, better

  Medicare carriers to answer faster, better

• Not a good way to start the day

  Not a good way to start the day

Issue 9, February 28, 2005

• E-mail error reveals names of 6,500 AIDS/HIV-positive patients

  E-mail error reveals names of 6,500 AIDS/HIV-positive patients

• KS abortion clinics asks court to intervene regarding requests for records

  Two Kansas abortion clinics have asked the state Supreme Court to step in against Attorney General...

• CMS addresses duplicate claims with new indicator

  CMS addresses duplicate claims with new indicator

• IDEA reauthorization becomes law

  IDEA reauthorization becomes law

• Senate approves elder falls prevention act

  Senate approves elder falls prevention act

Issue 8, February 22, 2005

• Court denies attempt to rekindle antitrust claims against NRMP

  The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on January 25 denied three former...

• Group claims newspaper series violated HIPAA

  Group claims newspaper series violated HIPAA

• Nursing homes bear brunt of Medicaid slowdown

  Nursing homes bear brunt of Medicaid slowdown

• OCR answers unresolved questions about PHI disclosure and litigation

  OCR answers unresolved questions about PHI disclosure and litigation

• LTC industry perkier

  LTC industry perkier

Issue 6, February 8, 2005

• Seattle physician sent to prison for false claims

  Seattle physician sent to prison for false claims

• LSC engineer to scrutinize your hospital's EC issues

  LSC engineer to scrutinize your hospital's EC issues

• SOC competence is a target in 2005

  SOC competence is a target in 2005

• Fire-related death in Florida hospital

  Fire-related death in Florida hospital

• IC professionals speak up in job survey

  IC professionals speak up in job survey

Issue 4, January 25, 2005

• CMS to improve payment error rates

  CMS plans to cut Medicare payment rates to 4% (from more than 9%) within the next four years, the...

• DRG overhaul?

  The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) may propose that Congress make major changes to...

• New law a bump in road for long-term care

  The new prescription drug plan could prove to be a headache for nursing homes because many...

Issue 2, January 10, 2005

• Task force formed to gather national health information network information

  The North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communication Alliance (NCHICA) formed a task force...

• Hey, what's that up there?

  Nothing like fostering a sense of paranoia in the workplace. Nurses at Good Samaritan Hospital in...

• Rules change for billing non-covered services

  In a notice released October 22, 2004, CMS made a few changes to the current rules governing how...

• CMS plans to allow gel dispensers in corridors

  There are strong indications that the Medicare program will allow hand-gel dispensers in exit...

• Quick tip: Keep staff healthy this season

  Given the current shortage of antiviral drugs and vaccines-the most effective measures for...

Issue 1, January 6, 2005

• Study links long hours to more medical errors

  A new study reinforces the worries about how long hours worked by residents can threaten patient...

• State Supreme Court limits families’ ability to sue

  A decision by the Florida Supreme Court limited a family’s ability to sue for neglect or...

• Hospital worker burned to death in electrical fire

  A Winter Park (FL) Memorial Hospital worker suffered burns to 97% of his body and died last week in...

• Female couple files discrimination suit against ALF

  Two Fortuna women have filed a complaint with their former assisted living facility (ALF) employer...

Issue 51, January 6, 2005

• Study: EHRs improve patient care

  An Annals of Internal Medicine study published last week suggests electronic health records (EHRs...

• Nursing Home Watch List on ice

  Nursing homes that appeared on the Nursing Home Watch List published by Consumers Union have...

• Faster is better for stroke rehab

  Stroke survivors who walked fast in a rehabilitation program improved their overall walking ability...

• Resident-on-resident abuse a growing problem

  After resident-on-resident violence resulted in a death at a Connecticut nursing home this fall...

• Nursing home owner settles charges after fire

  A Murfreesboro, TN-based nursing home company settled 28 of the 32 lawsuits stemming from a...

Issue 50, January 6, 2005

• Thompson's departure will not affect health IT

  The resignation of Tommy Thompson, head of the Department of Health and Human Services, will...

• U.S. seeks to modernize flu vaccine production

  Allowing companies to charge higher prices for flu vaccines would encourage more companies to...

• Quick tip: A simple policy on fake nails can improve patient outcomes

  It’s a simple measure: Improve patient outcomes and reduce patients’ chances of...

• For-profit facilities cited more often

  Nursing home inspection records in Kansas and Missouri found for-profit facilities received 40...

• Don’t work with live equipment

  As tempting as it may be, staff members should never attempt to work on electrical equipment when...