Recently, I receive a frantic email from an orthodontic client. A team member had emailed a patient’s diagnostic letter to the referring dentist. But the patient had specifically stated she did not want any of her information emailed unless it …
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All healthcare professionals would agree that maintaining confidentiality and privacy of patient information is of utmost importance. The requirements for maintaining confidentiality and privacy are strictly mandated under the HIPAA laws. The privacy and security regulations apply equally to all …
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We’ve been asking you to submit your most pressing HIPAA-related social media questions, and a couple came in that I think are important, common questions. Question 1: How do you handle the release of information process in light of HIPAA …
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Undeniably, technology has transformed the way dentistry is delivered and how we communicate with patients. With these changes come federal and/or state laws such as HIPAA, mandating patient privacy and requiring data security. The HIPAA Privacy Rule allows covered entities …
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In-office promotions and patient giveaways are an easy way to market to existing and prospective patients. However, there are always legalities that must be followed to be sure that what is being given away is not in conflict with any …
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A few months ago, I wrote an article called Social Media Legal Considerations for Dentistry. Since then, I’ve received dozens of comments, questions and feedback. Many of you were simply grateful to have some clarity on basic questions like whether signed …
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Social media is a very common piece of marketing strategy for many businesses, including dental practices, and often these businesses look to their customers to help create content. Customers are generally asked to either provide content (like reviews, testimonies, success …
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HIPAA and Release of Information regulations can create sticky situations. Frequently, I am asked how to handle release of information to the caregiver of an elderly patient after the information has already been released. Let’s try to secure that barn …
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Typically, when one thinks of the value of a business – dental practice or otherwise – one tends to think of the physical assets such as equipment, furniture and office supplies. Yet, with the growing reliance on technology and the …
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Increasing case acceptance is high on every practice’s priority list; however, one factor that often gets overlooked is where the treatment and financial discussions take place. Let’s take a look at a common scenario; you deliver a clear and solid …
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Knock, Knock Who’s there? OCR OCR, who? Oh see, are your HIPAA Policies up to date? According to the 2011 Second Annual Benchmark Study on Patient Privacy & Data Security by The Ponemon Institute, data breaches are on the rise …
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In February of this year the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced its plans for the Phase 2 mandatory HIPAA compliance audits. Since that time, several details surrounding the HIPAA audits, including the timeline, have become moving targets—literally. Initially, the …
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Though I am sure that you didn’t miss it, some readers may be unaware that Data Privacy Day happened back in January. Your intrepid writer celebrated DPD by taking a moment to reflect on the increasing difficulty of maintaining one’s …
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As readers of this blog know, we love to discuss how social media tools can improve the patient experience via social networking platforms. While social networking provides a new and intimate layer of service to patients, it also comes with …
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