The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a new FAQ clarifying that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule (45 CFR 164.510(b)) permits disclosures to loved ones regardless of whether they are recognized as relatives under applicable law. The FAQ, while applicable in a variety of circumstances, was developed in large part to address confusion following the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, in regards to whether hospitals may share protected health information with patients' loved ones. In particular, the FAQ makes clear that the potential recipients of information under the relevant permissive disclosure provisions of 45 CFR 164.510(b) are not limited by the sex or gender identity of the person.
In tandem, OCR is updating its existing guidance on several provisions within the HIPAA Privacy Rule that recognize the integral role that a spouse often plays in a patient's health and health care. Consistent with the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, OCR is issuing updated guidance that makes it clear that the terms marriage, spouse and family member include, respectively, all lawful marriages (whether same-sex or opposite-sex), lawfully married spouses and the dependents of all lawful marriages, and clarifies certain rights of individuals under the Privacy Rule.
OCR's updated guidance and FAQ may be found
here and the FAQ is also available
here.
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AHA Guidelines Available Anytime, Anywhere
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We are pleased to introduce the new AHA Guidelines On-The-Go mobile app! The app is a streamlined clinical decision-making mobile support tool designed to improve patient outcomes by applying innovative processes and technology tools for improved guideline implementation.
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How Patient Education Tools Improve Chronic Disease Management
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Review Patient Engagement HIT's article to learn how Centura Health, a Colorado-based health care system made patient education a key component of their chronic disease management strategy.
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2017-18 American Heart Association Patient Education Catalog Now Available
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Topics include conditions, treatments, procedures, stroke, and risk factor management.
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CMS Partnership to Support Primary Care Practices
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made the commitment to support clinicians by providing them with data needed to promote innovation and best practices. The collective data that is shared allows clinicians to evaluate their patient population to improve the health care they provided within their practice.
Click
here, to read more about the partnership and support CMS is provide.
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Attest to 2016 Program Requirements by February 28
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened its
Registration and Attestation System. To avoid a 2018 payment adjustment, all providers participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program must attest to the
2016 program requirements. The attestation must be completed by February 28, 2017 at 11:59 pm ET.
For more information about the Registration and Attestation System please contact the EHR Information Center at 1-888-734-6433 (press option 1) or visit the
EHR Incentive Programs page on the CMS website.
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Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) News
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Subscribe to the Quality Payment Program Listserv
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Providers that subscribe to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) listserv should sign up for the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Payment Program (QPP) listserv.
To subscribe, please visit the Quality Payment Program (QPP) portal. Select "Subscribe to Email Updates" in the footer. |
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Patient Engagement: The Key to Managing Health and Wellness
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Thursday, January 26, 2017 from noon to 1 pm
Join us at noon on January 26, 2017, as guest speaker Dr. Clifford Morris describes the Morris Cardiovascular and Risk Reductions Center's innovative and interactive approach to engage patients by creating individualized programs to treat cardiovascular disease and support wellness.
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Registration Closes Tomorrow
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Virginia Antibiotic Pre-Summit: A Statewide Call to Action
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Join us in Richmond on Wednesday, February 1 at the Downtown Richmond Marriott to learn what you can do to protect patients in your community. This free, one-day conference will bring together a variety of stakeholders from across Virginia, as well as national experts, to discuss the antibiotic resistance burden that is currently upon our communities and to spark and renew a collective commitment to implement effective antibiotic stewardship in all settings
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Target BP: A National Initiative to Improve Blood Pressure Control
Monday, February 13, 2017 from noon - 1:00 pm
Target BP is a national collaboration between the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association to reduce the number of Americans who have heart attacks and strokes by urging medical practices, health service organizations, and patients to prioritize blood pressure control. The program will empower hospitals, physicians and care teams to reduce blood pressure to a goal of lower than 140/90 mm Hg for each adult patient to improve health outcomes. Attend this webinar to learn more about this national initiative and the tools and resources that are available to your practice.
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Community Health Initiatives for Health Equity
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 from 3:00 - 4:30 pm
This session titled "Community Health Initiatives for Health Equity" will focus on strategies to help healthcare organizations and communities achieve health equity. This National Learning & Action Network (LAN) session topic aligns with the CMS Quality Strategy goal of work with communities to promote best practices of healthy living.
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Creditâ„¢. This activity is eligible for ACPE, ANCC, AANP, and CDR credit; see final CPE/CE activity announcement for specific details.
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