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Health Facts

HIPPA, Healthcare Insurance Portability And Accountability Act: Part 1

First introduced in 1996, it created guidelines governing employee benefits, fraud, security of patient information, and electronic transactions involving billing and claims processing. In 1999, it was amended to also address Internet security and electronic signatures. Then in 2001, the Bush Administration approved HIPAA with a 24-month implementation period in phases for full compliance by providers. The categories of regulation and compliance include transaction standards, code sets, health care identifiers, electronic signatures, physical security, and privacy issues.
Each category will take effect on different dates during that 24-month period.
Covering Your Bases
Covered entities include: health plans, billing services, and all health care providers engaging in electronic transmission of claims, payment, and insurance. Included are business associates, other doctors in your office, and contract workers or independent contractors. All Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) providers will also need to comply. With the growth of CAM and an increase in fraud, CAM providers will especially be targeted for HIPAA compliance. If you are a covered entity, it is important that you protect medical records or face the consequences of HIPAA law.
Entities covered by the privacy and security regulations of HIPAA will face many hurdles, some of which could be very costly. You may be required to pay for risk assessment to identify areas of noncompliance and physically redesign your office for compliance as it relates to securing records. You will definitely have to update your computer with HIPAA compliance software. A word of warning here-make sure to buy HIPAA compliance software and know the vendor. To date, there are very few, if any, software programs on the market that will allow you to become HIPAA compliant, and when available, may be extremely expensive. Also, you will have to train your staff and periodically re-train them and change office procedures and how you store records. Make sure to retain an attorney familiar with HIPAA regulations to guide you. Although you may not have a computer and therefore do not bill electronically, you must still comply with HIPAA in all other areas. Electronic billing will become the way to do business with all insurance companies, who will also need to be compliant with HIPAA. If you are not, compliant, then your claims may not be paid or even allowed to be submitted other than electronically. Insurance contract plans have certain guidelines for participation on the panels. If these guidelines, one of which may be HIPPA compliant, are not met, then you will not be allowed to take part. On the insurance panel.
Paper Trail
As a covered entity, there will be increased paperwork in the areas of medical consents,
written patient authorizations, privacy notices-posted and given to patients, and creation of policy and procedures covering disclosure of treatment by you, any other contract worker, independent worker or associate doctor in your office.
Consent forms for treatment must also include HIPAA language as to treatment, payment, or other provider services. Although consent to treat and authorizations may be on a single form, it must be signed separately. Authorizations must be signed by the patient if the provider uses patient information for purposes other than treatment.
Privacy policy notices must be posted in your office and a copy given to all patients. Your computer and data files are the lifeline for the practice. You must protect patient information and uphold office policies and procedures as to who has access and how information is obtained. There must also be a secure area for medical records, keeping access private and a designated person should be assigned to view those records. Business associates, independent contractors, and associate doctors must also be HIPAA compliant. Securing these workers on a contract basis as other types of persons or entities for access to medical records may be necessary. Presently, personal injury and workers compensation attorneys are exempt as they represent the patient and not the provider. Compliance, although difficult, is a far better choice than noncompliance, as will be discussed in part two.…

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Health Facts

Do You Have a Case For Medical Malpractice?

Medical malpractice refers to any negligence that a physician, health care professional, or hospital demonstrates during the course of providing treatment to a patient, and, in turn, causes either emotional or physical damage. State licensed individuals and entities-physicians, dentists, nurses, therapists, technicians, pharmacists, hospitals, clinics, etc-are accountable for injury they cause.
The primary legal determination of medical malpractice is negligence. Without negligence, one does not have a case.
Outcomes of carelessly done medical procedures can be or seem to be terrible. A disappointing facelift might lead to psychological distress. A failed organ transplant can not likely be fatal. But, sometimes t the most tragic and painful scenarios do not automatically qualify as medical malpractice.
Neither medicine, in general, nor any medical professional, specifically, is prefect. The profession, in fact, describes itself as a “practice.” Consequently, no patient can be assured of ideal or even desirable results. Therefore, medical malpractice boils down to negligence-neglect or carelessness-in attending to a patient. Bad outcomes can result from proper care.
How, then, is negligence determined?
First, the health care provider or professional is judged in comparison to his or her peers-health caregivers and providers in the same community, field and/or specialty. A heart surgeon’s treatment, for instance, would be evaluated in light of the treatment plan, procedures, and attentiveness that one should anticipate from similarly qualified and trained heart surgeons. Likewise, a hospital, an outpatient clinic, or other medical facility owes its patients a duty of ordinary care.
In other words, a hospital must extend the kind and quality of equipment, facilities, and trained personnel that are reasonably expected and suited to a patient’s condition if those factors are in place and in general use in comparable hospitals for patients who suffer similar conditions. Therefore, while a small county hospital’s emergency room would not be held to meet the certifications of a major trauma center in a large city, the more modest facility would be required to possess and utilize technology and procedures that other hospitals in its class offer.
The second criterion for determining medical negligence is whether or not a causal connection exists between the injury and the health care provider’s alleged negligence. The injured party must demonstrate that a breach (or violation) of the health professional’s standard of care was a proximate cause of any harm to the patient. If, for instance, a patient falls after hip replacement surgery on the way to the restroom because he did not want to call a nurse for assistance, he cannot blame the surgeon if the bone must be reset.
Damages comprise the third component of medical malpractice lawsuits. The injured party should outline any damages that resulted form the alleged mistake. Tangible costs-such as medical bills and lost wages-as well as intangible consequences-such as pain and suffering-are part of the accounting. To validate your claim, make certain that you acquire all of your medical records as quickly as possible to minimize opportunities for changes and falsifications. Additionally, your experiences should be set out in writing and to have a claim you must obtain an opinion by a medical professional setting out the negligence.
How much money can be awarded in damages?
There are no guarantees or simple answers. Avoid any legal representative who makes grandiose promises about how much he or she will get for you from the physician’s insurance company. The severity of your injury and your health in general will strongly impact how much, if any amount, a jury renders in a verdict or the amount you would receive in a settlement. Be aware that in 2005 Georgia enacted laws that limit verdicts in medical malpractice cases and impose other harsh standards that make it more difficult to prosecute these cases. In March 2010 the Georgia Supreme Court rendered two opinions on these laws.…

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Short Term Health Insurance Savings

Companies are now offering high end insurance plans at short term prices that are lower than many companies are providing for their employees. If you work at a company that is not providing you a lot of coverage, you need to make sure that you’re doing well in regards to a lot of medical coverage. Yes, you need to make sure that you’re not lacking in regards to protecting your family. You’re going to see a brighter future if you’re willing to step up to the plate and look at policies rather than just signing whatever thing you find that covers you for the moment.
If you’re self employed, or recently unemployed you should look into the steady short term health insurance plans that are available to you and your family at a low cost. There are simply too many companies out there competing to get you the best price possible. Seriously, don’t be left behind the curve and don’t let the lights go out on your attempts to make something better than the rest. You need to make sure that you’re making good overall moves in regards to your health and the health of your loved ones.
If you’re not careful, health reform might end your coverage. So make sure your tied down with a great costing high end plan. If you don’t understand the plans terms, ask someone to go over them with you and enjoy the great peace of mind that comes from being protected against medical bills and more.…

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Health Facts

Vermont Takes the Lead in Genuine, Effective Medical System Reform

An unlikely experiment is underway in one of the few American states where conservatives were unable to convince majorities of the populace to view government leadership as the Devil’s preferred path to socialism, if not Stalinism. Vermont, a bastion of good sense in this benighted era of irrationality, is one of, if not the, best of the states. The newly-elected governor, Peter Shumlin, wants to overhaul the state’s medical system. His plan for doing so is nothing less than the boogeyman to the Tea Party types, namely, single payer. Watch out for death panels! The governor’s goal is nothing less than a public option for the entire state. Best of all, there is no role in single payer as the governor sees it for the rapacious insurance companies. Michael Moore must be besides himself with joy.
Of course, a waiver from the federal government to implement a single payer plan will be required. The new governor believes that “the waiver is the easy part. The hard part is designing a single payer health care system that works and that delivers quality health care, gets insurers off our providers’ backs and has a reimbursement system that makes sense.” He adds, I believe if we design that system, we can sell it.”
The new governor sees the shift to single payer as an economic necessity as well as a move that will boost quality of life. A plot line showing a steep upward trajectory of rising costs convinced him that a single payer plan is essential. He has stated that such a big step is needed for the well-being of government itself, as well as companies and the citizens of Vermont.
The governor argues that costs will increase a billion dollars in the next year in Vermont. The average family will pay $7,000 more. This is on top of $32,000 paid now. This hurts the state economy and increases property taxes.
The governor campaigned on single payer, so the ambitious redesign plan comes as no surprise to voters. Key features include:
* Health benefits managed directly through citizens, not employers.
* Reimbursement related to outcomes, not pay for treatment/fee for service.
* Reliance placed on upgraded standards of uniform medical records and payments.
* Plans for implementing a single payer system and other options are shaped by the state legislature. The head of this study, a Harvard Economics Professor, made his own position clear in a New York Times interview: “You can have universal coverage and good quality health care while still managing to control costs. But you have to have a single-payer system to do it.” (See Anne Underwood, “Health Care Abroad,” The Business of Health Care, NY Times, November 3, 2009.)
In Vermont, unlike my own hapless state of Florida, Democrats control the executive and legislative branches. This makes prospects for a single payer system more likely than in most other states, if not any other state.
My chief wellness adviser in Vermont, Dr. Judd Allen, reported this week that the governor’s election and the drive to adopt a single payer health system in Vermont, “is perhaps one of the few bright spots in the election results. I worked very hard in Shumlin’s campaign and we only won by a few thousand votes. It is a big deal. I’ve written our governor-elect about helping with the transition.”
If the governor puts Dr. Allen on the case, look for Vermont to become a national model for the future of American medical system reform.
Be well and look on the bright side, even if you don’t have the good fortune to live in Vermont.…

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Health Facts

Top Reasons for Choosing In Home Care

Aging is a fact of life, and many people find themselves losing some of their abilities to properly take care of themselves due to illness, injury, or the natural process of aging. For people who need extra help, there are different levels of care, from occasional help with medications or household chores to 24 hour medical monitoring.
There are many reasons to choose in home care versus assisted living or a nursing home for loved ones who need special assistance. Some of the top reasons include:
1. Independence – many people cite independence and a desire to stay in their home as the number one reason they choose in home health care; staying in the same surroundings can encourage patients to keep doing as much for themselves as possible with limited assistance instead of just turning everything over to a hired worker in a facility
2. Family – those who continue to live at home do not have to adhere to a strict timeline regarding visiting hours, mealtimes, and other activities, which makes it easier for family members and friends to visit
3. Continuity of Care – using home care ensures that the same nurses, doctors, and care providers are involved with the patient; this makes medical errors less likely and also helps the patient bond with their caregivers
4. Health and Safety – many patients feel safest when they are at home and don’t have to worry about infections or contracting illnesses from other patients; home care can also be easier than a facility because of the lack of “red tape” and complications
5. Financial – the cost of in home health care is generally less than an assisted living facility or nursing home; this can be crucial to elderly patients who may rely on a fixed income or specific insurance provisions to pay for their care.
When finding in home care for a loved one, it is crucial to find the provider who best meets the needs of the patient and the family. Trusted Hands Network has the ability to make the search for in home care easier and less stressful.…

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Rumen PH Monitoring to Detect SARA in the Dairy Cattle Sector

Up to 20% of dairy cows develop acidosis after calving. A condition known as sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA) may also be present in larger numbers of cows. This will reduce milk fat and milk output and in some cows to cause more serious disease such as lameness, mastitis and sub-fertility which can cost hundreds of dollars per affected animal.
Sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA) is an increasing health problem in most dairy herds in the US and has been estimated to cost the US dairy industry between $500m and $1 billion per annum. Results from field studies indicate a high prevalence of SARA in high-producing dairy herds as producers respond to the demands for increased milk production with higher grain, low fibre diets to maximize energy intake during early lactation. SARA poses a challenge for dairy farmers and dairy nutritionists to implement feed management practices to prevent or reduce the incidence of this disease.
Monitoring rumen pH levels in sentinel cows within a herd would provide farmers with important information indicative of the state of dietary health of the herd. When the sentinel cows exhibit increasing acidosis, this allows a farmer to adjust feeding to prevent major problems developing.
Methods for monitoring the rumen pH in cows are currently limited to either invasive veterinary techniques for off-line analysis or pH sensors inserted through a cannula and connected by a wire to a data collection device outside the animal.
What is required is a radio transmitter based device which can be inserted into the rumen and send data remotely to farm information systems to alert the farmer to the potential onset of problems. Such devices are available with a short lifetime and have been used to validate the approach of remotely monitoring rumen pH. Long lifetime sensors which will last for 100 days and which transmit data remotely to farm information systems are under development and are currently being used in trials.…

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Arthritis: Ways To Make The Pain Bearable

Effective treatments against arthritis are available. Use the information in this article to learn new ways to manage your arthritis and the pain that comes with it.

Joint pain can be relieved through the use of both hot and cold packs. Alternate use of a heating pad and an ice pack for even better results. Consult with a doctor, as he or she might have additional tips for using temperature to soothe arthritis pain.

If you have arthritis and still want to get in shape, try aquatic exercises. Individuals with arthritis can find aquatic activities soothing and relaxing. Many find it easier to stretch their muscles and joints in this type of environment. Most gyms offer swimming classes for those who wish to learn.

Being able to relax and avoid stress is key to properly managing arthritis. When your body and mind are stressed, hormones such as excess cortisol circulate and trigger increased inflammation and pain, which aggravates arthritis. Try to come up with some good coping mechanisms to reduce your level of stress, such as taking a daily walk or meditating for a few minutes.

Arthritis pain can sometimes be reduced by using aromatherapy methods. The relaxation brought by aromatherapy has been scientifically proven to be beneficial to any chronic condition. When you use aromatherapy to relax, the whole body relaxes – including arthritic joints.

Consider meeting with a therapist. Therapy can help you learn to cope with your limitations while still remaining self-sufficient. It is also a chance to connect with other people, reminding you that you are not alone. Arthritis sufferers also are more likely to develop conditions like depression, so going to therapy, whether individual or group, can address these important concerns.

If you are suffering from arthritis, turn to music that is relaxing. Many aches and pains caused by arthritis are eased when your body relaxes listening to this type of music. Relaxing music is also a great way to fall asleep if the pain from arthritis is keeping you up.

Physical therapy is recommend to anyone suffering with arthritis. If these symptoms interfere with your ability to function, a physical therapist can give a set of exercises to improve your range of motion and lessen inflammation in your joints. Follow this plan religiously, and you will start to feel positive results.

Always make plans well in advance. Maintain a solid plan and understand what you need to do in the event of a flare-up. Take the time to rest while doing physical work, and know your limitations.

Speak to a healthcare professional early and start treatment immediately. You can significantly reduce damage to joints by getting started with treatment as soon as you can. It is best if you seek out advice from a health professional and start your treatment ASAP.

There are a lot of things you should know when you are going to manage your arthritis, but you will have to spend the time putting your best effort into it. These arthritis tips are a great start to understanding your condition or the symptoms that you are experiencing so you can begin treatment and pain management.…