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E-Newsletter • April 2024 |
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Editor's E-Note
Now More Than Ever
A recent cyberattack—called the most significant in history—suggests that the need to improve health care’s cybersecurity couldn’t be more urgent. But even before that event, Health and Human Services issued a concept paper noting an astonishing 93% increase in large breaches reported to the Office for Civil Rights between 2018 and 2022 and a 278% increase in large breaches involving ransomware. The paper outlines four pillars for action, building on the National Cybersecurity Strategy announced in March 2023.
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— Kate Jackson, editor |
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Enhancing Cybersecurity
Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released a concept paper that outlines the department’s cybersecurity strategy for the health care sector. The concept paper builds on the National Cybersecurity Strategy that President Biden released last year, focusing specifically on strengthening resilience for hospitals, patients, and communities threatened by cyberattacks. The paper details four pillars for action, including publishing new voluntary health care–specific cybersecurity performance goals, working with Congress to develop supports and incentives for domestic hospitals to improve cybersecurity, and increasing accountability and coordination within the health care sector.
According to the HHS Office for Civil Rights, cyber incidents in health care are on the rise. From 2018 to 2022, there has been a 93% increase in large breaches reported to the Office for Civil Rights (369 to 712), with a 278% increase in large breaches involving ransomware. Cyber incidents affecting hospitals and health systems have led to extended care disruptions, patient diversions to other facilities, and delayed medical procedures, all putting patient safety at risk.
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Enabling Digital Transformation
Healthcare IT News reports on the need to look beyond technology and focus equally on connectivity and interoperability.
Breaking Down Silos
According to an article in MedCity News, the compartmentalized structure of health care organizations shares the blame for financial losses. It argues for a culture of cooperation and shared responsibility among various teams such as coding, compliance, clinical documentation improvement, and billing.
Fighting Denials
Health Tech Zone looks at the root causes of denials and strategies for preventing them to help health care organizations stem a loss of revenue.
New Rules for Disclosure of Sensitive Records
This month, new rules released in February by Health and Human Services go into effect to govern the way substance use disorder treatment records are used and how they should be disclosed. JD Supra reports on the changes and requirements for compliance. |
Have a coding or documentation question? Get an expert answer by sending an email to edit@gvpub.com.
This month’s selection:
On our calcium score reports, many times there is only a score and not an impression. Can we code plaques in the heart arteries based on the score alone?
0 = no calcified plaque detected (risk of coronary artery disease is very low—less than 5%)
1-10 = calcium detected in extremely minimal levels (risk of coronary diseases is still low—less than 10%)
11-100 = mild levels of plaque detected with certainty (minimal narrowing of heart arteries is likely)
101-300 = moderate levels of plaque detected (relatively high risk of a heart attack within three to five years)
300-400 = extensive levels of plaque detected (very high risk of heart attack, high levels of vascular disease are present)
Lorraine Oefinger Lopez, RHIT, CCS
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CenTrak’s ConnectRT Software Platform
CenTrak has introduced a state-of-the-art cloud-based software platform to advance the utility of real-time location systems in health care. In conjunction with its unified dashboard and single sign-on capabilities, ConnectRT operates as a centralized hub, providing immediate access to CenTrak’s solution applications and system management tools. WorkflowRT and Hand HygieneRT are the first two software-as-a-service applications on the platform. WorkflowRT is a scalable cloud-based platform that automates workflow and communications to alleviate the burden of manual documentation required through each phase of clinical care, while Hand HygieneRT, CenTrak’s next-generation hand hygiene compliance monitoring solution, offers a data-driven approach to improve infection control practices. Learn more »
Patient Observation
Collette Health, a provider of virtual patient observation solutions, has expanded its analytics portal, offering the ability to visualize and validate patient safety and virtual observation program performance. The portal offers more than 20 real-time metrics and trends, including falls, proactive interventions, utilizations, and good catches. Learn more »
Fighting Ransomware
ESET offers an e-book, Ransomware: Security Tips for SMBs, showing how you can protect your organization and respond to ransomware in a crisis. Learn more »
Reducing Denials and Boosting Revenue
Ranked best in KLAS for the second consecutive year in the Claims Management and Clearinghouse Revenue Cycle categories, Experian Health’s ClaimSource is an automated and scalable claims management system that reduces denials and increases revenue in a single application. It added two new artificial intelligence (AI) modules this past year—AI Advantage Predictive Denials and AI Advantage Denial Triage. Learn more » |
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