National Nurses Month is an annual event that takes place in May to recognize the important work that nurses do in our communities. Nurses play a crucial role in providing quality care to patients, and their dedication and commitment to their profession are truly admirable. However, the work of nurses also carries some safety risks, including exposure to hazardous materials such as medical waste. Medical waste is any waste generated in healthcare facilities, such as […]
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Now more than ever, businesses are under a microscope for their environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts. Consumers and stakeholders expect the companies they support to not only have an ESG strategy but also to be accountable for the plans they have articulated. During uncertain economic times, it can be difficult to prioritize ESG initiatives when there is the urge to tighten budgets. But today, ESG efforts are more than just a “nice-to-have.” ESG can […]
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Too often, unused and expired medications find their way into the wrong hands. That’s dangerous and often tragic. Bringing unused and expired medications to a Drug Take Back Day collection site protects you, your family, and your community. National Prescription Take Back Day is a bi-annual event that occurs in the United States to encourage people to safely dispose of their unused or expired prescription drugs. The event is typically held on a Saturday in […]
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One quarter of U.S. healthcare physicians, advanced practice providers and nurses are considering switching careers and one third are considering switching employers, according to newly released results from a survey conducted by Bain & Company. Below are some key takeaways from the survey and brief, which was released Oct. 11 and can be found in full here. 1. Of the 25 percent of clinicians who are thinking about exiting healthcare entirely, 89 percent cite burnout […]
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The Waste Medic team was excited and thankful to finally be back on the road and in person for the 2022 MHCA (Mississippi Health Care Association) annual conference at the beautiful Beau Rivage resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. MHCA was packed with nearly 100 vendors and over 300 attendees representing most of Mississippi’s best long-term care providers. The energy we experienced from guests at our booth was upbeat, optimistic and ready to move past the pandemic […]
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Sierra Samuels was let go Sept. 15 for HIPAA violations, hospital says A nurse in Miami was fired last month after she posted pictures of a baby with a birth defect on social media. Sierra Samuels was relieved of her duties on Sept. 15 at Jackson Memorial Hospital where she worked since 2016, most recently serving in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to an NBC News report. She was accused of making derisive […]
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2020 has been a busy year with HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, from Premera Blue Cross’ $6.85 million settlement, the second largest in OCR history, to numerous right of access case resolutions. Here are 17 hospitals, health systems and health plans that have agreed to HIPAA settlements so far this year. 1. Steven Porter, MD, a gastroenterologist in Ogden, Utah, agreed in March to pay OCR $100,000 to settle a potential HIPAA violation related to […]
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has awarded approximately $11.2 million in Susan Harwood federal safety and health training grants to 90 nonprofit organizations nationwide. The grants will provide education and training programs to help workers and employers recognize serious workplace hazards, including the coronavirus, implement injury prevention measures, and understand their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Under President Trump’s Qualified Opportunity Zones […]
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With employers planning for employees to return to work following COVID-19–related closures, there are sure to be questions about sharing employee medical information as it relates to COVID-19 (symptoms, test results, status) within the workplace and with public authorities. Now may be a good time to review what has changed about federal privacy rules in light of the COVID-19 pandemic—and what hasn’t. Of course, much remains the same. The privacy, security, and breach notification rules […]
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Dr. Ratul Chatterjee, an independent primary care physician in Huntington Beach, California, would like to banish HIPAA in its current form although he readily admits that his is a radical, politically incorrect, position. He charges that health IT companies, lawyers and lobbyists have made millions from HIPAA while blaming the 1995 law for a variety of ills, including physician burnout and lack of efficiency. “HIPAA is a big part of EHRs,” he declared in a […]
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