Category Archives: Meaningful USe

Don’t Forget: March 11 Deadline for Meaningful Use Attestation Approaching

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have shifted their deadline for Meaningful Use (MU) attestation from the previous February 29 date to Friday, March 11, 2016. This most recent shift in deadline was made so that practices could attest to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS, formerly PQRI), which has a deadline that… Read More »

What message does a $4.5 million fine and prison time send about HITECH and Meaningful Use?

Recently, the former CFO of the Shelby Regional Medical Center, Joe White, has been sentenced to 23 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $4.5 million in restitution. White oversaw the hospital’s implementation of electronic health records (EHR) and was responsible for Meaningful Use attestation to obtain incentive payments. He pleaded guilty to making… Read More »

HIPAA Police –Are They Coming For You?

As reported by Health and Human Services (HHS) HIPAA fines and audits are significantly on the rise. 5% of practices are being audited against the HITECH Act and Omnibus Rule. Are you compliant? “How do all these regulations affect me as a Healthcare Covered Entity or Business Associate?” To answer that question, let’s first look… Read More »

Using Patient Portals to Improve Patient Engagement

Prior to the establishment of electronic health records there was often poor communication between practitioners and their patients. Initiating conversations with patients was the responsibility of the provider who was often already stretched thin. These types of conversations were not always received well, especially when they involved the patient taking some degree of responsibility for… Read More »

HIPAA Compliance Software and Meaningful Use Stage 2

The HITECH Act established the regulations and guidelines for the establishment of EHR’s to be demonstrated through a variety of meaningful use objectives. HITECH Meaningful Use Stage 2, started in 2014, establishes stricter regulations for the privacy and security rules of HIPAA and focuses on encryption of ePHI while using advanced clinical processes. The attention… Read More »

Free Risk Assessment Tool from HHS…It’s About Time!

A free HIPAA Security Risk Assessment tool from HHS? Finally ONC, in collaboration with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the HHS Office of the General Counsel (OGC), has offered a free service for covered entity’s to address the Stage 1. Risk Assessment requirements to Meaningful Use core measure 15. Covered Entities and… Read More »