Group items tagged

PF Night Splint (Derotation) Applications Prevention and correction of foot drop. Night splint for early healing. Ambulatory, can be used as a day splint. Perfect post-operative immobilisation and derotation. Peroneal / Peritibial nerve or muscle damage. Ankle or Plantar flexion contracture and functional alignment. Can be used to protect the diabetic/ injured ankle & foot. PF Night Splint (Derotation) Features Removable de-rotation bar. Moulded foot casing, aesthetically pleasing and durable. Effective Liner, improved comfort. Highly functional Design, customized degree of dorsiflexion. Double strapping mechanism, better grip.

Overview:  Emotionally difficult or painful conversations are very common in health care. Consequently, it is quite remarkable that health care training programs do not spend more time teaching future health professionals the kinds of emotional and relational skills that are often required in these kinds of patient-provider interactions. This presentation will discuss the architecture of the painful conversation by examining : Its effect on the professional's sense of self and especially his or her need to preserve self-esteem The critical role of feelings and emotions, and The nature and value of empathy. The latter half of the presentation will consist of various strategic and practical recommendations so that emotionally challenging conversations might be conducted artfully, especially with "difficult" or "impossible" patients. Areas Covered in the Session: By the end of this presentation, learners will be able to: Relate the painful conversation to their construction of their professional "self"; Explain how an ability to control one's feelings can influence the success or failure of an emotionally difficult conversation; List a number of empathic responses that are useful in conducting difficult conversations Who Will Benefit: Any health professional who has to communicate with others. Speaker Profile John D. Banja is a Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and a medical ethicist at the Center for Ethics at Emory University. He also directs the Section on Ethics for the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Emory. Dr. Banja received a doctorate degree in philosophy from Fordham University in New York and has taught and lectured on topics in medical ethics throughout the United States. He has authored or coauthored over 200 publications and has delivered over 800 invited presentations at regional, national, and international conferences. He currently serves as the Editor of the American Journal

Overview: The webinar will concentrate on topics that HHS has announced will be the focus of the first round of "desk audits". They reflect significant areas of non-compliance revealed in the 2012 pilot audits and HHS HIPAA violation investigations concluded by Resolution Agreements and Corrective Action Plans. They include: HIPAA Risk Analysis Risk Management based on Risk Analysis Breach Notification Notice of Privacy Practices (for Covered Entities) Minimum Necessary Standard Access of Individuals to their PHI Authorizations Workforce Training This webinar is vital because, in focusing on preparation for a HIPAA Compliance Audit, Covered Entities and Business Associates may review, prioritize and structure their HIPAA Compliance programs. If you have HIPAA Compliance documentation ready to submit on two weeks notice to HHS you are implementing an effective HIPAA Compliance program. In addition, every Covered Entity or Business Associate may face an HHS HIPAA Compliance investigation at any time due to a complaint or a Breach. If you are "audit ready" you will be ready for an investigation - and better able to avoid complaints and prevent breaches. Why should you attend: Every Covered Entity and Business Associate is liable - without prior notice - to be audited for HIPAA Compliance by HHS You will have only 2 weeks after receiving your HIPAA Compliance Audit notification and data request to upload all requested documents to an HHS HIPAA Compliance Audit Portal The HIPAA Compliance Audit data request you receive will specify content and file organization, file names and any other document submission requirements Auditors will not contact an audited entity for clarifications or ask for additional information - it is essential that submitted documents are current, accurately reflect the entity's HIPAA Compliance program and demonstrate HIPAA Compliance Only data submitted on time will be assessed Failure to respond on time may be referred to the HHS regional

A look at disruptive practitioner behavior policies: One of the very important factors needed for a healthcare unit to maintain its decorum and uphold its reputation is the implementation of disruptive practitioner behavior policies. The declaration and implementation of disruptive practitioner behavior policies goes a long way in ensuring that the hospital or healthcare center doesn't lose face. What are disruptive practitioner behavior policies? First, an understanding of disruptive practitioner behavior policies: Disruptive practitioner behavior policies may be termed as the putting in place in a healthcare providing unit a set of policies that are aimed at checking the errant and rude behavior of its staff members towards the patients and other people that use the services rendered by these centers. Who all carry out disruptive practitioner behaviors? Anyone in the healthcare setting can behave in an unbecoming and ungainly fashion with patients or those attending on them. Some of the typical types associated with disruptive practitioner behavior include shouting at them, bullying, intimidating, scolding loudly, being aggressive towards them, gesturing lewdly to them, and so on. This kind of behavior reflects very badly on the healthcare provider. Since there is intense competition in the healthcare providing industry; it is natural for patients to look for other centers when they face this kind of behavior. It is after all human to expect to be treated nicely. If one provider doesn't do that; patients look for other providers. Losing the patient, bad though it is, is not the only loss: When this becomes public, which is all the easier given the extensive reach of the social media; the healthcare unit's name goes for a toss. The role of disruptive practitioner behavior policies It is to curb this kind of behavior that disruptive practitioner behavior policies need to be put in place. Disruptive practitioner behavior policies can go a long way in reining i

Course "Effective and Efficient Internal and Supplier Quality System Auditing for Medical Devices" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: Do you want to understand how to do efficient and effective internal and supplier audits that meet all the requirements of your external auditors, but also add value to your company? Are you confused by all the requirements and guidance documents for medical device quality management systems and are tired of wading through all the regulatory language they contain. This course is for those who will do internal or supplier audits, manage an audit process for these or other company audits. This course will provide you with an easy to understand presentation on the auditing process as well as the requirements you will need to audit under ISO 13485 and the FDA Quality System Regulation (cGMP) Both FDA Quality System Regulation (QSR) and ISO 13485 require that companies do internal audits. However, because the FDA does not look at the content of internal audits, some companies do not get feedback on the true effectiveness of their internal audit system from the FDA during FDA Inspections. ISO 13485 auditors do look at internal audits, but are most concerned that you define a process that meets the requirements of the standard and are following your process. Both require that you define Auditor training is required, but this sometimes just requires reading the company's procedure, although most external auditors will look for more than this. Do you need to train new auditors for yours medical device quality management system or to audit your suppliers? Or do you need to improve the training of your internal and supplier auditors so that they add value to these audits? If you need to do either of these, this seminar will provide this training. In addition to auditing skills and hands-on auditing exercises, this seminar will provide an ove

Course "Texting and E-mail with Patients: Patient Requests and Complying with HIPAA " has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: With the recent advances in portable technology, more and more organizations and their users are taking advantage of mobile devices to save time and get work done more efficiently. Texting, portable e-mail, and Apps are revolutionizing the ways health care providers interact with their patients and get their work done. But the use of these devices comes with hidden costs of compliance, especially if they lead to a reportable breach under HIPAA or state laws. HIPAA Privacy and Security Officers have been struggling to keep up with the use of the devices to protect patient privacy and avoid compliance issues. Even if these devices aren't in formal use in your organization, you need to act now to anticipate their use and make sure they are used properly. This session is designed to provide intensive, two-day training in HIPAA compliance as it relates to the use of mobile devices, including how to use them with Protected Health Information, the policies and procedures you need to have in place to use them securely, and how to manage issues of the "BYOD" phenomenon. The session provides the background and details for any manager of health information privacy and security to know what issues to look for with mobile devices, what needs to be done for HIPAA compliance, and what can happen when compliance is not adequate. Audits and enforcement will be explained, as well as privacy and security breaches and how to prevent them. Numerous references and sample documents will be provided. The session will be valuable for both newcomers to HIPAA compliance as well as seasoned veterans. HIPAA compliance will be explained and discussed in detail, from the basics through the latest changes and new technology issues, so that the attendee will have a coherent u

Electric wheelchair is a chair fitted with wheels. The device comes in variations allowing either manual propulsion by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand, or electric propulsion by motors. There are often handles behind the seat to allow for different individuals to push. Electric Wheelchairs are used by people for whom walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, or disability. Disabled People who have difficulty sitting and walking often make use of a wheelbench. A basic manual wheelchair incorporates a seat, foot rests and four wheels: two, caster wheels at the front and two large wheels at the back. The two larger wheels in the back usually have handrims; two metal or plastic circles. Electric wheelchairs are propelled by a motor and battery. They are very sophisticated. They are operated with a joy stick or push buttons. Some electric wheelchairs use advanced technology and can climb up stairs, move across gravel and even raise up to give access to high shelves. Electric wheelchairs need strong frames to support the motor and battery so they are very heavy and also quite expensive. People with spinal cord injuries face similar decisions. Often a person with a spinal cord injury will use a motorized wheelchair, even though they are physically capable of using a manual chair. They don't do this because they are lazy. They do this to be more efficient with their energy reserves. People with spinal cord injuries often choose motorized wheelchairs to preserve their physical energy, so that they can complete the work. Sometimes need to save on physical energy so that have some allowance left over for intellectual or emotional pursuits. Karma KP 10.2 Power Wheelchair: Features: Seat, base & battery quickly detach for easy storage and transportation Come with captain seat With seat platform, the captain seat can be moved forward or backward using tools which is included Adjustable armrest width and height Footrests can b

Overview: I will uncover myths versus reality as it relates to this very enigmatic law based on over 600 risk assessments performed as well as years of experience in dealing directly with the Office of Civil Rights HIPAA auditors. I will also speak to real life audits conducted by the Federal government (I've been on both sides of these audits) what your highest risks are for being fined (some of the risk factors may surprise you). In addition this course will cover the highest risk factors for being sued for wrongful disclosures of PHI and the manner in which patients are now using state laws to sue for wrongful disclosures. Don't always believe what you read online about HIPAA, especially as it relates to what the government expects, I will uncover what is and isn't considered a high risk. Why should you Attend: HIPAA NOW HAS TEETH! Be prepared for what's new in 2016! Protect your practice or business! What factors might spurn a HIPAA audit? …are you doing these things? Why are the Feds enforcing after all these years? It is important to understand the new changes going on at Health and Human Services as it relates to enforcement of HIPAA for both covered entities and business associates as it relates to portable devices, texting, and emailing of PHI. You need to know how to avoid being low hanging in terms of audit risk as well as being sued by individuals who have had their PHI wrongfully discloses due to bad IT practices. I have also been expert witness on multiple court cases where a business or medical practice is being sued for not doing their due diligence to minimize risk. Areas Covered in the Session: Factors that can get you audited What to do if audited How to avoid an audit altogether Business associates and the increased burden Emailing of PHI Texting of PHI BYOD Updates for 2016 Who Will Benefit: Practice Managers Any business associates who work with medical practices or hospitals (i.e. billing companies, transcription companies, IT comp

Overview: Today's health care delivery occurs in a diverse, fast-changing, multidisciplinary health care environment. This often presents challenges to the health care professional that are not easy to navigate. Medical records and their confidentiality have long been the exclusive province of state law, but has now been recognized for some time in the federal HIPAA statutes and federal regulations. Differing and even conflicting sources of requirements at the state level still exist for the retention and disposition of medical records. These sources may vary based upon the specific health care practitioner - whether physicians, dentists, psychologists, or other health care providers, including mental health practitioners. As to the specific, individual health care practitioner, state laws mandate their confidentiality, retention, and even their specific content with regards to patient, clinical records. In addition to these clinical requirements, additional state laws set forth the content and retention of other types of records kept by the professional, such as supervisory agreements with other professionals subordinate to them as well as their own unique record content requirements. With the majority of medical records moving to an electronic format, special rules now exist with regard to the confidentiality, security, retention, and disposition of electronic medical records. This is particularly important as state laws continue to allow for and regulate the provision of telemedicine by various health care practitioners. For example, while psychotherapy and mental health services are ideal treatments to offer over the internet, that is, by simultaneous audio-visual transmission between the doctor and the patient, the risks of breaches of confidentiality also vastly increase. And when the successful doctor-patient relationship is over, how does the health care practitioner providing a mental health service dispose of these electronic records? In addition to

Rationale for Clinical Trial Regulations Clinical trials, as we all know, are carried out to test the efficacy of a new drug or device being developed for a specific condition or disease. Clinical trials are experiments that have a high degree of risk if they are not properly implemented. For this reason, it is necessary for regulatory bodies to regulate clinical trials. The core rationale for regulating the various stages of clinical trials is that human subjects, who are part of the research, have to be protected. These clinical trial regulations are legislated at all stages: local, State, national and international. Clinical trial regulations are in force in different countries of the world. Common clinical trial regulations are also made globally by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), which has the mandate of setting out good practices for clinical trial regulations for trials done in global cooperation. These regulations cover the administrative, procedural and ethical aspects of clinical trials. Briefly, these are the areas in which there are clinical trial regulations for each of these aspects of clinical trials: Administrative: The administrative aspects of clinical trial regulations pertain to the way the clinical trials are run, and the way they are tracked and monitored throughout their lifecycle. A clinical trial is usually monitored by a sponsoring company or a Contract Research Organization (CRO), which the former hires at times for reasons of convenience and cost cutting. Clinical trial regulations in this area is obviously of importance because if something goes wrong at any administrative stage; these can be rectified. Procedural: Procedural aspects of clinical trial regulations relate to ways by which subjects are chosen for a clinical trial. Proper care has to be taken to ensure that the subjects are appropriate for the clinical study, are from the prescribed age, geographical, demographic, racial and gender-related cl

Workplace Safety Regulations : Workplace safety is a matter of grave importance to any organization. Ensuring the safety of workers is a primary goal of most countries, no matter which kind of political system or setup they have. This is because almost no workplace is free from some or another kind of hazard. These workplaces could be as varied as hospitals, construction sites, engineering plants or agriculture and many more. Governments the world over consider it their duty to provide a safe workplace. Workplace safety can concern any hazard that can happen to either the physical or emotional wellbeing of a worker. National and global workplace safety regulations : Workplace safety regulations are legally stipulated measures that governments require organizations in both the private and public sector to implement in order to ensure safety at the workplace. Almost all countries have their own set of workplace safety regulations. These regulations work in tandem with a few global management systems with the aim of enhancing safety standards at the workplace. A notable global organization that is at the forefront of legislating workplace safety regulations is the International Labor Organization (ILO). These ILO-mandated legislations are meant to supplement the national workplace safety regulations that most countries have. This is done in the belief that many a time, these individual legislations may not be sufficient in themselves. Workplace safety regulations in the US : Like most other countries, the US too has its own set of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards. Owing their origins to the Richard Nixon era in late 1970; workplace safety regulations in the US concretized under what is collectively called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The major feature of OSHA is that apart from promulgating workplace safety regulations across nearly all conceivable sectors and types of industries; OSHA also has a provision for whistleblow

Course "The A to Z's of HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: This session is designed to provide intensive, two-day training in HIPAA compliance, including what's new in the regulations, what's changed recently, and what needs to be addressed for compliance by covered entities and business associates. The session provides the background and details for any manager of healthcare information privacy and security to know what are the most important privacy and security issues, what needs to be done for HIPAA compliance, and what can happen when compliance is not adequate. Audits and enforcement will be explained, as well as privacy and security breaches and how to prevent them. Numerous references and sample documents will be provided. Who Will Benefit: * Information Security Officers * Risk Managers * Compliance Officers * Privacy Officers * Health Information Managers * Information Technology Managers * Medical Office Managers * Chief Financial Officers * Systems Managers * Legal Counsel * Operations Directors Agenda: Day One Day one sets the stage with an overview of the HIPAA regulations and then continues with presentation of the specifics of the Privacy Rule, recent changes to the rules, and the basics of the Security Rule Lecture 1: Overview of HIPAA Regulations * The Origins and Purposes of HIPAA * Privacy Rule History and Objectives * Security Rule History and Objectives * Breach Notification Requirements, Benefits, and Results Lecture 2: HIPAA Privacy Rule Principles, Policies and Procedures * Patient Rights under HIPAA * Limitations on Uses and Disclosures * Required Policies and Procedures * Training and Documentation Requirements Lecture 3: Recent and Proposed Changes to the HIPAA Rules * New Penalty Structure * New HIPAA Audit Program * New Patient Rights

Healthcare Rehabilitation is a vast field: The field of healthcare rehabilitation is very vast and expansive. In traditional societies, most commonly relatable to the Orient and Africa, there is the ages-old cultural belief that it is the duty of children to take care of their parents when they age. On the contrary, for us in the west, healthcare rehabilitation has emerged as a specialized branch of healthcare because of the emphasis our society places on independence of the individual. Healthcare rehabilitation is a product of social mores: Younger generations of people are not expected to spend entire years, as may be the case in some families, to look after people of their previous generations who may be in need of medical care. It is on this outlook towards life of our society that healthcare rehabilitation has come into being. However, it is also possible that younger people could also be in need of healthcare rehabilitation. Even such people are put in the care of healthcare providers which offer these services. The divisions of healthcare rehabilitation: Branching out as a fully developed field of healthcare, healthcare rehabilitation has many specializations. These are broadly the areas in which healthcare rehabilitation is offered: General rehabilitation: General rehabilitation of some or another kind is a primary aspect of healthcare rehabilitation. Those in need of this kind of care typically include patients who have lost their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks such as talking, walking, brushing, eating, etc. many a time, depending on the nature of the ailment, rehabilitation could include therapies, exercises and other activities aimed at bringing in some element of mobility in the patient. This kind of healthcare rehabilitation could also include taking care to revive the patient's memory, when patients with diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's are admitted for healthcare rehabilitation. Skilled nursing: An area in which a skilled and

Practical steps to compliance with HIPAA Computer Policy: That the HIPAA has a clear and stringent policy on computers is absolutely understandable, because computers constitute the very soul of HIPAA. Ensuring security of patient data is one of the core causes for which HIPAA was enacted; so, it is only natural that Computer Policy should be at the center of HIPAA compliance. A HIPAA Computer Policy rule came into effect in 2005. The nub of this enactment is to ensure that there are technical, physical and administrative security procedures that must be adhered with. These are meant for Covered Entities to ensure that the data they have of patients, namely electronic Protected Health Information (PHI) is safe and secure. Understand the reason for HIPAA Computer Policy Any implementation has to start with an understanding of the rationale for the action, right? The same goes for something as important and big as implementation of HIPAA compliance into systems. HIPAA Computer Policy is in place for a specific and critical reason ���protection of patient data, loss of which can lead to hefty penalties that can affect the business very adversely. So, installing the necessary protections is the first step to protecting vital data and with it, one's own business or practice, as well. Implement a sound access policy A strong access policy is at the heart of HIPAA Computer Policy. It is in the computer systems that all the data relating to the patient are stored. So, making sure who in the organization has access to these and how and when, is very important. Not only should access be restricted to only designated and permitted personnel in the organization; there should be a system by which tracking of access is easily determined. This is to find out who accessed which record, when, what action followed, what happened as a result of this access, and so on. Keep a record of all system components This is another step to ensuring compliance with HIPAA Computer Po

Incidental disclosures form the crux of HIPAA compliance and patient care. HIPAA has elaborate rules on how to maintain these and in what situations. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a landmark set of federal regulations, is aimed at protecting patient privacy regulations. Yet, it is understood that some information has to necessarily be shared. HIPAA compliance and patient care is centered on the inevitable disclosures that have to be made, or what are called incidental disclosures. Initially, there was some ambiguity about incidental disclosures, resulting in some kind of haziness about HIPAA compliance and patient care. With these cleared, much of HIPAA compliance and patient care hinges on this principle. Incidental disclosures determine patient care compliance with HIPAA Incidental disclosures are what are termed secondary use, i.e., it is the unavoidable or inevitable disclosure of Protected Health Information. It is understood that incidental disclosures, being a byproduct of the course or nature of the treatment; are inescapable, given the condition and situation of the patient. Guiding factors for HIPAA compliance with patient care The aim of HIPAA's Privacy Rule is to ensure that healthcare providers have to use professional judgment guided by ethical guidelines at the time of making incidental disclosures. The following bases were propounded for adherence with HIPAA compliance and patient care: Whenever there is an unavoidable breach in confidentiality, the breach should be proportionate to the potential benefit the patient's gets from care When a patient is not present in the healthcare setting or is incapacitated, information about the patient can be shared with the family, friends or whoever else is involved in the patient's care. This protocol need not be documented. In relation to the above, a requirement of HIPAA compliance for patient care is that when the patient has a condition that is not related to the present tr

HIPAA Enforcement trends : Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a legislation of the American Congress. HIPAA enforcement consists of taking steps to confirm that rules set out in HIPAA are being complied with by the requisite entities. Primarily passed with the intention of ensuring that employees do not lose their health insurance benefits when they change or leave their current jobs; this 1996 law also has the protection and security of Protected Health Information (PHI) as one of its chief aims. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces actions relating to HIPAA, imposes harsh penalties on healthcare organizations and Business Associates and Covered Entities that are proven to be in noncompliance of HIPAA requirements. What are HIPAA enforcement actions? The actions that the OCR takes to ensure implementation of HIPAA provisions constitute the essence of HIPAA enforcement actions. There are a good number of areas which the OCR can cite as constituting cases of HIPAA violations or noncompliance. A look at recent HIPAA enforcement actions point to a trend. These trends serve as an indicator of what to expect from HIPAA enforcement actions, which will help entities get some idea of what they should implement and what they should not and thus prevent being cited by the OCR. Security risk assessments are the foremost element of HIPAA enforcement actions: A look at recent trends suggests that HIPAA enforcement actions mainly target security risk assessments. This leads to harsh penalties, as happened in the case of New York-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP). The hefty $ 4.8 million penalty slapped in 2014 on this hospital was for data breach caused by insufficient security risk assessment. While this is the biggest sum fined; the OCR issued at least three other hospitals for putting in place inadequate security risk assessments in 2014. Risk management comes a close second: If inadequate security risk assessments come first in te

Overview: Upon completing this course participants will leave with a preliminary preventive control implementation plan and will: * Understand US FDA final rules for the Preventive Controls for Human and Animal Foods * Define and review your current system to identify gaps in your preventive controls planning. * Be able to develop and implement a valid preventive control company food safety plan to close any gaps * Write and implement appropriate procedures. * Know your requirements for control over your supply chain * Be able to plan and implement HARPC * Be able to perform environmental monitoring * Know how cross contamination can impact your preventive control plan * Know the difference between validation and verification * Understand and be able to use statistical process controls basics * Be able to plan and implement a team approach to preventive controls * Be able to help your food importers to jump through FDA hoops * Develop a system to risk rank your suppliers * Have a plan in hand that will pass any validation check for preventive controls * Understand some of the technology and costs that can help you establish preventive controls * Prove that your system actually prevents food safety problems * Be able to document and report results to upper management, external food safety auditors and FDA auditors * Save your company money Establish simple, low cost complete data collection and reporting systems. * Establish teambuilding between food safety and quality personnel to develop and implement changes to your current system * Understand food safety, security and recall responsibilities in light of cargo theft, adulteration and temperature failures * Learn how to use your system to get some ROI and improve your marketing position * Review current and future technologies designed to improve and simplify data collection * Establish a completely documented system Why should you attend: Validation of preventive co

Overview: Mental health care practitioners work in today's diverse, fast-changing, multidisciplinary health care environment. Nowhere but in mental health is there such diversity of clinicians who provide the same or similar services of counseling and therapy. A potential client has a wide choice of mental health providers from whom to choose. Yet each individual mental health profession has a unique education, training, and experience requirement for practice. While similarities exist, requirements differ from state to state and even from profession to profession with a single state. What are these requirements and how do they apply? The state's authority and power over mental health practitioners often presents challenges to these mental health professionals that are not easy to navigate. Differing sources of legal and ethical authority govern each respective health care practitioner in ways that are similar but not the same. Ethics and law are similar, but not the same. All mental health practitioners must adhere to standards of state law which govern their professional practices, including the very core of the doctor-patient relationship. Codes of ethics and state law may both apply to govern the conduct of this clinician. Even some state laws are referred to as ethical codes. Complaints as to alleged misconduct or ethical failings are received and investigated by a state agency and leave the mental health practitioner with an uncertain process to handle and to defend the state action against them. With this background, this seminar empowers the full understanding and application of ethics and laws for mental health practitioners. Learn to identify and understand an ethical framework for a sound mental health practice. An ethical framework is essential to having the right perspective to examine mental health dilemmas. Compare and contrast regulatory laws and codes of ethics to understand their differing applicability. Know the difference between laws and ethics,

HIPAA Survival Guide: The HIPAA Survival Guide is a set of practical help guides that seek to make compliance with HIPAA and HITECH easy for providers. This kit is some kind of checklist on what to keep in mind and implement to survive a HIPAA audit. The HIPAA Survival Guide was created as a need to comply with the HIPAA audit requirements. It evolved as a response to simplifying the HIPAA Privacy Rule and HIPAA Security Rule without its legal complexity. In other words, the framers of this Guide have developed this concept strictly as a guide, rather than as a legally enforceable set of rules. "Forest from the trees" approach: The HIPAA Survival Guide came into being in order to help users understand HIPAA and HITECH better. The approach the developers of this Guide adapted was what was called the "forest from the trees" way, because the aim was to help users navigate and wade through the complex text. It was aimed at helping them chaff and finesse the parts that required their compliance into simple terms. HIPAA Survival Guide is thus not a strict, legislative Act that lays down rules for conformity. No wonder, it was developed by the joint efforts of a Registered Nurse and an Attorney, who wanted to facilitate a greater understanding of the legislation's audit requirements. The basis on which this Guide came into existence was the HIPAA and HITECH background. It concerns itself with only the part of HIPAA and HITECH relating to a part of Covered Entities, namely providers. This is deliberate, since the aim of this Guide is to help small providers with guidelines aimed at simplifying their task. Important steps for HIPAA survival: The fundamental goal of the HIPAA Survival Guide is to equip providers with the knowledge of what needs to be kept in order and fine-tuned if they have to meet regulatory requirements. These are the thumb rules for the HIPAA Survival Guide: Documenting the provider's privacy, security and breach policies and revie