The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with 32 hospitals in 15 states to resolve allegations that they mischarged Medicare for kyphoplasty procedures. The hospitals will pay more than $28 million to settle claims that they billed Medicare for the minimally-invasive procedure to...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 16, Issue 49
Supporters of a new law in Missouri that aims to reduce the physician shortage are frustrated that its implementation has been delayed until next fall--despite being passed 19 months ago. The law, which would allow medical school graduates to skip residency and begin treating patients, has faced...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 16, Issue 48
The percentage of physicians experiencing burnout is on the rise, according to a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Using physician survey data from 2011 and 2014, the researchers found that about 54% of respondents showed at least one symptom of burnout based on the Maslach Burnout...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 16, Issue 47
Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts will pay $850,000 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights to settle a HIPAA violation. The hospital also agreed to adopt a robust corrective action plan to correct deficiencies in its HIPAA compliance program.
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Credentialing Resource Center Journal - Volume 24, Issue 12
Effective FPPE programs start with basic understanding of the difference between proctors and preceptors, as outlined in Proctoring, FPPE, and Practitioner Competency Assessment: A Clinical Leader's Guide, by Todd Sagin, MD, JD.
In October, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) announced it approved new language regarding reporting physician status in the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Jennifer Michael, chief information officer for ABMS, answers what the change in language means for physicians...
Maintenance of certification (MOC) has become the focus of many physicians; as some question its relevance, others offer opinions on ways to make it better, and still others look for alternative certification options
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 16, Issue 46
A study of nearly 200 hip and knee arthroplasty surgeries found that on average the doors to the operating room were opened every 2.5 minutes and remained opened for a total of 9.6 minutes. In 77 cases, the doors were open long enough to compromise the operating rooms’ positive pressure systems...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 16, Issue 45
Almost $20 billion was spent on medical errors in 2008, most of which were costs associated with providing follow-up care due to the errors. Who pays for this additional care—the patient, the insurer, the hospital—is not always clear, according to an article in The Washington Post. ...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 16, Issue 44
With the impending physician shortage brought on by an aging baby boom generation and millions of newly insured Americans through the Affordable Care Act, new healthcare models may need to be explored to meet the population’s needs.
