Radiologist Revises Process for Workers Compensation Disclosures

Radiologist Revises Process for Workers Compensation Disclosures
Covered Entity: Health Care Provider
Issue: Impermissible Uses and Disclosures

A radiology practice that interpreted a hospital patient’s imaging tests submitted a worker’s compensation claim to the patient’s employer. The claim included the patient’s test results.  However, the patient was not covered by worker’s compensation and had not identified worker’s compensation as responsible for payment. OCR’s investigation revealed that the radiology practice had relied upon incorrect billing information from the treating hospital in submitting the claim.  Among other corrective actions to resolve the specific issues in the case, the practice apologized to the patient and sanctioned the employee responsible for the incident; trained all billing and coding staff on appropriate insurance claims submission; and revised its policies and procedures to require a specific request from worker’s compensation carriers before submitting test results to them.



Large Medicaid Plan Corrects Vulnerability that Resulted in Disclosure to Non-BA Vendors Covered Entity: Health Plans Issue: Impermissible Uses and Disclosures; Safeguards A municipal social service agency disclosed protected health information while processing Medicaid applications by sending consolidated data to computer vendors that were not business associates. Among other corrective actions to resolve the specific issues in the case, OCR required that the social service agency develop procedures for properly disclosing protected health information only to its valid business associates and to train its staff on the new processes. The new procedures were instituted in Medicaid offices and independent ...read more



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Dentist Revises Process to Safeguard Medical Alert PHI Covered Entity: Health Care Provider Issue: Safeguards, Minimum Necessary An OCR investigation confirmed allegations that a dental practice flagged some of its medical records with a red sticker with the word "AIDS" on the outside cover, and that records were handled so that other patients and staff without need to know could read the sticker. When notified of the complaint filed with OCR, the dental practice immediately removed the red AIDS sticker from the complainant's file. To resolve this matter, OCR also required the practice to revise its policies and operating ...read more



Private Practice Implements Safeguards for Waiting Rooms Covered Entity: Private Practice Issue: Safeguards; Impermissible Uses and Disclosures A staff member of a medical practice discussed HIV testing procedures with a patient in the waiting room, thereby disclosing PHI to several other individuals.  Also, computer screens displaying patient information were easily visible to patients. Among other corrective actions to resolve the specific issues in the case, OCR required the provider to develop and implement policies and procedures regarding appropriate administrative and physical safeguards related to the communication of PHI.  The practice trained all staff on the newly developed policies and ...read more

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