Author Archives: ann

Is your practice daunted by the costs of implementing an electronic health record (“EHR”) and entertaining the idea of using a donated EHR?  If so, continue reading about how the new Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office of Inspector General … Continued

If you lose a 16GB portable flash drive, you can purchase a replacement through Amazon for $10.  However, if that flash drive happened to contain the electronic protected health information (“ePHI”) of patients of your practice, that missing flash drive … Continued

The September 23rd Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act Final Omnibus Rule compliance deadline is less than 3 weeks away!  Below is a brief overview of the major HIPAA changes under HITECH, to help you to … Continued

On June 20, 2013, the Florida Supreme Court issued an opinion addressing arbitration clauses between healthcare providers and patients.  Franks v. Bowers, No. SC11-1258 (Fla. June 20, 2013).  This decision should be of interest to providers who have arbitration agreements … Continued

On June 13, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the results of an investigation of a California hospital that illustrates the disastrous snowball effect a wrongful disclosure of protected health information can have on a … Continued

The Health Law Handbook, 25th Edition was published this week, containing a chapter written by Ann M. Bittinger.   The Handbook, edited by well-known Philadelphia health law attorney Alice G. Gosfield, brings together 16 authors of 13 chapters grouped in five … Continued

A jury in South Carolina concluded earlier this week that Tuomey Healthcare System, a 242-bed community hospital in Sumter, South Carolina, violated the federal Stark law and False Claims Act by illegally billing Medicare $39 million.  As a result of … Continued