Healthcare Industry’s Compliance With OSHA ETS Now Required
An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) went into effect in early June 2021, and compliance with most of the provisions was required by July 6. The final set of provisions (pertaining to training, ventilation, and barriers) wasn’t mandated until July 21. With some exceptions, the ETS applies to all settings where any employee provides healthcare or healthcare support services. Who’s covered Healthcare services. Services provided to individuals by professional healthcare
U.S. Healthcare Regulation: A Brief Overview of HIPAA
Keep in mind that it’s not just doctors and nurses that need to comply with the law. Anyone selling products or services to anyone in the healthcare industry must be aware of the HIPAA rules and requirements. HIPAA is made up of different sections, called Titles, with Title I and Title II being the most important. Title I focuses on the portability part of the law, ensuring that insurance plans aren’t denied when workers switch
Everything You Should Know About the HIPAA Enforcement Rule
With the regular and much needed update to critical standards such as HIPAA, auditors and compliance experts need to be continuously on their toes to review and acquaint themselves with these new developments. One of the latest such updates is the Health Information Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Enforcement rule, which has caused quite a stir in the industry due to confusion about its applicability. To set certain things clear, HIPAA Enforcement will not be applicable
Green PPE is Gaining Traction Globally
Innovators and entrepreneurs across the world are pioneering solutions to address the pandemic related plastic waste explosion. The Covid-19 pandemic threatens to undo decades worth of progress achieved by the recycling industry in tackling global plastic pollution. Demand for plastic has risen, with the production of surgical masks, medical gowns, face shields, safety glasses, protective aprons, plastic shoes and gloves now proliferating. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 1,6 million tonnes of plastic were generated
Where’s All This Waste Going? The Environmental Impact of Vaccinations in the Time of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased vigilance over the proper disposal of vaccine-related materials, such as vials, needles, syringes, and bandages. Pharmacy-based immunizations have become standard over the past 2 decades in the United States, a service that has positively affected every community.1 More than 280,000 pharmacists have been trained to administer vaccines in the United States since 1996, and since 2016, more than 25% of adults have received influenza vaccinations in pharmacies.1 As
Famous Cases of HIPAA Violations
Humans are naturally curious creatures. Simply put, wondering about our world and the other people living in it is basic human nature. For some people, celebrities are mere commodities, but for others, they’re modern marvels. Some people can’t help but be curious about the lives of the rich and famous—all the while, the itch to snoop and snitch on celebs is detrimental for those employed in health care. HIPAA laws are privacy laws in the
Businesses Administering COVID-19 Vaccine Are at Risk for Mishandling Biomedical Waste
On April 30, 2021, the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement office issued a memorandum titled “Strengthening Enforcement in Communities with Environmental Justice Concerns.” In light of the Biden administration’s recent focus on environmental justice and other social responsibility initiatives within environmental regulation, there is heightened scrutiny around compliance with environmental requirements; therefore, supermarkets, box stores, and other commercial businesses administering COVID-19 vaccines should consider the reputational risk of improper handling and disposal of medical
CVS Exposes Over a Billion Health Records in an Unsecured Cloud Database Leak
Healthcare giant CVS exposed over a billion health records via a misconfigured cloud database leak. The Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based health services provider owns CVS Pharmacy, CVS Caremark, and Aetna. Website Planet’s security researcher Jeremiah Fowler discovered the database leak while conducting routine internet scanning for exposed cloud databases. Fowler said the database did not have any authentication mechanisms or an access password. Exposed health records could help attackers target users The 204 GB leaked database contained just
OSHA Considerations for Employers in Year Two of the COVID-19 Pandemic
All employers should review and implement the all-industries guidance, and healthcare employers should take steps now to implement the ETS. All employers should be mindful of the health and safety of their workforce and worksites, including reviewing and evaluating updated COVID-19 guidance issued by OSHA for all industries, and its Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”) applicable only to healthcare employers. Both of these pronouncements were issued by OSHA on June 10, 2021. In this article, we
