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Discussing appointments of friends and family in a doctor's office

03/18/2019

Question: At the doctor’s office where I work, the patients are often the friends or family members of staff members who assist with the exams. Yesterday, a coworker and I were preparing the charts for the day with our assigned doctor, and my coworker, Jane, told me that one of the patients we were seeing that day was the boyfriend of another coworker, Jill. Later, I happened to be having lunch with Jill in our break room, and she was talking about her boyfriend. I mentioned to her that Jane told me Jill’s boyfriend was coming in for his appointment and asked if Jill was planning on assisting his doctor during the exam. Jill was furious at Jane’s disclosure and said that she would be filing a formal complaint regarding a HIPAA violation. Is this really a HIPAA violation? Could my job really be in jeopardy?

How to determine the meaning of RARCs

03/18/2019

Q: What is the difference between the two types of Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARC)?

X modifiers bring success - but not always

03/18/2019

by: Roy Edroso

X modifiers, introduced in 2015 as alternatives to 59 (Distinct procedural service), have been used successfully in many cases despite CMS’ lack of guidance or support for them (PBN 3/11/19). But be aware that not every code combo with an X modifier brings success.

Practices seek solutions about how to optimally store ACP documents

03/11/2019

by: Richard Scott

As practices up their involvement in providing advance care planning (ACP) services for patients, one federal watchdog is asking a critical question: Are the patients’ forms, and thus their end-of-life wishes, being stored in an accessible, easy-to-share location?

Patient-as-consumer panel yields some winning portal ways to improve care

03/11/2019

by: Roy Edroso

Treating the patient as a “consumer” has its advantages for quality and care, but should be a collaborative rather than a top-down (or bottom-up) process, a panel of health care experts suggested March 5. And one panelist reported patient portal innovations that seemed to meet those demands and produce positive results.

Set alerts, read newsletters to meet tricky licensing renewal dates

03/11/2019

by: Roy Edroso

Question: We had a nurse miss her license renewal deadline, and it was a nuisance for her to get it sorted out. How can we help our providers meet their licensing needs?

Concurrent coding: Improve real-time reporting and collaboration

03/11/2019

Much like concurrent CDI (clinical documentation improvement) reviews, the concurrent coding process necessitates that the coding professional follow the chart throughout the patient’s admission and code it at intervals. In a recent Association of CDI Specialists (ACDIS) survey, 47.51% of 603 respondents said they have a concurrent coding program.

Use of X modifiers in lieu of 59 linked to lower denial rates

03/11/2019

by: Richard Scott

Practices are finding some big wins when turning to the series of X modifiers that debuted with much fanfare – and ongoing questions marks – and that they’re allowed to use in place of the longstanding modifier 59 (Distinct procedural service).

Finding ways to solve the growing ‘public health crisis’ of physician, staff burnout

03/04/2019

by: Richard Scott

You may think of it as stress, depression, dissatisfaction with the job or a galaxy of other terms or descriptions, but one thing is clear about the long-climbing rates of physician burnout: The ramifications across health care are immense.

They slip, you fall: Have policy and procedures for hazards to avoid accidents, legal grief

03/04/2019

by: Roy Edroso

You know what to do with patients who come into your practice hurt — but what about patients who come to the office and then get hurt? Establish some ground rules for addressing hazards and handling patients who suffer an on-premises injury, while under treatment or not, and avoid legal complications down the road.

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