Risk Management on the PRMS Blog

Background: Under HIPAA’s Breach Notification Rule, individuals must be notified if their protected health information (PHI), which includes demographic and medical information, has been improperly accessed or disclosed. However, if the information is encrypted consistent the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, using the Advanced Encryption Standard ...

1.  Encrypt! Admittedly, this lesson should have been learned quite some time ago. In 2014, one-third of Office of Civil Rights’ (OCR) resolution agreements were related to the improper disclosure of protected health information (PHI) due to the theft of an electronic portable device.  In 2015, half of OCR’s case resolution agreements involved the theft of portable devices.  Wh ...

Join our panel of PRMS risk managers on the first Friday of every month for “On Our Minds®.”  You can listen in as they discuss: Emerging trends in psychiatry Current events that may impact your practice Advice on protecting you, your patients and your practice New risk management publications and educational articles And more!     Clients: to listen live, visit PsychProgram ...

In recent years, the consequences of breach of confidentiality have increased significantly given state and federal laws governing the breach of patient and consumer information. Along with the increased regulation is the incentive for wrongdoers (internal and external to your practice) to access and steal your patients’ information without permission. Protected health informa ...

Since my original post on physicians’ online marketing, I’ve received requests for more information on the topic. So here are my expanded thoughts – Websites Websites can be a great way to market your practice online.In terms of professional liability, the greater the interaction on a physician’s website, the greater the risk.A simple, non-interactive practice information webs ...

As an “Army brat,” holidays showing appreciation for our military – active, former, and deceased – are of particular significance to me. This Memorial Day weekend is more than the official start to summer – it’s a time to honor all who bravely fought or are fighting for our freedom. This certainly includes those whose lives have been lost, whether by the hands of others, or by ...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While it is great to recognize and educate everyone on the issue of mental health, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank the psychiatrists and other mental health professionals for all they do under what can be very tough circumstances. My comments are focused on psychiatrists because my team of risk managers has the most interact ...

This week’s MMWR from the CDC addresses suicide trends among persons aged 10-24 years from 1994-2012. The study’s findings include: • Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds in the US • There were 5,178 suicides in this age group in 2012 • The three most common methods are firearm, suffocation (including hanging), and poisoning (including drug overdos ...

A frequent call to our risk management helpline goes something like this: Physician: I’m treating a minor patient whose parents are divorced. Dad has not been involved in treatment but is now requesting a copy of my chart. Mom doesn’t want me to share anything with dad, so what do I do? Risk Manager: Do you have a copy of the custody order? Physician: No So we then start the di ...

In today’s New York Times, there’s an article discussing a recently released annual survey titled “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2014.” More than 153,000 freshmen from 227 US colleges and universities responded on a variety of topics, and the findings include: – They were more likely to aspire to advanced degrees – Self-rated spirituality declined – Alcohol and to ...