It’s Your Call January 2022

OSHA: What were the top Federal OSHA citations in healthcare during the pandemic?
The penalties below were retrieved from OSHA’s webpage listing industry specific citations from October 2020 to September 2021.

HIPAA: My co-worker is loud when he talks to patients.  Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule say anything about talking to patients if one might be overheard?
Yes, oral communication often must occur freely and quickly in treatment settings. Overhearing conversations may be unavoidable, and the conversations are less audible when reasonable safeguards are in place like white noise, music, and lowering your voice.