The Peer Review Privilege in Litigation
Most people believe that the complexity and specialized knowledge involved in any given profession makes others in that profession better equipped to regulate their own members than any outside concern. ...
Defending Yourself Against Medical Malpractice Claims
Facing allegations of professional malpractice can be a traumatic experience for many medical professionals. Even when the allegations are without merit, the accused can be plagued by self-doubt. Physicians by ...
Pennsylvania Law Allows Doctors to Apologize
Medical professionals have long believed that many malpractice lawsuits could be avoided if doctors had more freedom to discuss adverse results candidly with patients and family members. Unfortunately, the fact ...
New Jersey Affordable Care Act Statistics
A great deal of focus has been placed on statistics and trends during the six-month open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange policies and Medicaid expansion. During that ...
What Can Trigger a CMS Audit?
No medical office looks forward to an audit by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Even practitioners who are supremely confident in both their compliance and the quality ...
Avoiding Fraud and Noncompliance Perpetrated by Staff Members
Most professionals rely on a staff of dedicated administrators and assistants to maintain their practices and remain profitable. However, there remains an understanding in most professions — the medical profession ...
Successful Medical Practice Merger
Especially in the new landscape of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many doctors are exploring ways to cut costs and increase efficiency. Merging with an existing medical practice allows doctors ...
As Bitcoins Gains Acceptance, Medical Practices Must Weigh Risks and Benefits
Doctors are in the business of constantly considering whether the benefits of a certain treatment or medication outweigh its side effects, health risks and costs. In order to run a ...
Public Release of Medicare Payment Data — Transparency and Privacy Concerns
For the first time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have released data on Medicare fees paid to health care providers. The new policy is intended to increase ...
Medicare Reimbursement Based on Quality of Care Standards
Quality-of-care provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) link Medicare reimbursement to hospital performance. These new rules are intended to cut unnecessary Medicare costs and reward medical providers that deliver ...
Medication Prescription Technology Can Have Adverse Effects on Medical Businesses and Patient Safety
According to the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), drug errors are one of the most common medical mistakes, resulting in 1.5 million injuries each year. The AMCP suggests several ...
The Challenges of Keeping Electronic Medical Records Secure
Technology provides undeniable benefits to medical recordkeeping. A computerized system allows medical care providers to store and share crucial patient information more cost-effectively and efficiently than the outmoded paper file ...
HIPAA Privacy Rules Affecting Minor Children
Most health care providers are familiar with the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. However, the rules regarding when and to whom medical ...
Disputing National Practitioner Data Bank Records
The Affordable Care Act established the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) to centralize information about medical professionals that previously appeared across multiple systems. Launched in May 2013 and managed by ...
Notification Requirements When a Breach of Patient Information Occurs
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) requires covered entities, such as physicians and health plans, to notify individuals when their unsecured health information is ...