HIPAA AND BATTLING PARENTS
Dealing with a minor’s medical records can be a minefield when a child is from a blended family or the parents have a contentious divorce going. Things get especially sticky when you add in stepparents and grandparents, and when a minor controls all or a portion of their own records. It’s a good time to […]
It’s Your Call December 2021
OSHA: What is the frequency for fit testing per OSHA? The OSHA regulations state the following: 1910.134(f)(2) The employer shall ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually […]
OSHA CITATION PENALTIES
A lot of our clients ask us what the OSHA penalty is for a particular violation. OSHA citations and the accompanying penalties do not work that way. There is no schedule that says an overfilled sharps container is $900 or failure to provide appropriate protective equipment is $2500. OSHA citations are based on failure to […]
HIPAA
DISCLOSING COVID-19 VACCINATION STATUS HHS has published an article on the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s effect on the disclosure of COVID-19 vaccination status for healthcare. The following are excerpts from the article. For the full text see: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/hipaa-covid-19-vaccination-workplace/index.html. Remember that HIPAA is not the only set of laws that regulate this information. Does the HIPAA Privacy […]
It’s Your Call November 2021
OSHA Trivia: When was the Occupational Safety and Health Administration established by Congress? OSHA was established by Congress under President Richard Nixon on April 18, 1971. Before that date, very few states had decent worker protection laws. Workers could only accept dangerous conditions or find a new job. Presently, employers have a greater responsibility to […]
OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)
Two laws were enacted last week that affect healthcare facilities of which you should be aware. Both revolve around COVID-19 vaccination of employees. One is the new OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard and the other is the Centers for Medicare + Medicaid Services (CMS) Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final […]
Don’t forget to resist the phish!
These steps will help in identifying phishing emails:
It’s Your Call October 2021
OSHA: Recall the four most common ways to spread germs and decide how you should protect yourself. Contact: Think of contaminated surfaces that are touched and how the germs are spread when hand hygiene is not performed. Sprays & splashes: Imagine a person sneezing. Now think of where the droplets/germs land. Not only do […]
Tennessee adopted Occupational Safety and Health Standards Covid-19 Emergency Temporary Rule
TMC is providing this information for healthcare workers in the state of Tennessee. Tennessee has adopted Chapter 0800-01-12 Occupational Safety and Health Standards Covid-19 Emergency Temporary Rule. Many outpatient medical + dental practices, will be exempt from the requirements of this rule. Non-hospital-based ambulatory care settings will be able to claim the exemption by demonstrating […]
FDA Alert – Medtronic Recalls Paradigm and 508 MiniMed Insulin Pumps Remote Controllers due to Potential Deadly Cybersecurity Risks
The FDA has identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall. The use of these devices may cause serious injuries or death. Recalled Product All MiniMed Remote Controllers (model MMT-500 and MMT-503) are used with a Medtronic MiniMed 508 insulin pump or the MiniMed Paradigm family of insulin pumps. Reason […]