Category: General health

The best patient data security practices are critical for protecting sensitive patient information from unauthorized access and disclosure.

With the increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs), it is more important than ever for healthcare organizations to take proactive steps to safeguard patient data.

Several types of patient data require protection, including personal identifiable information (PII), EHRs, and financial data. The importance of patient data security cannot be overstated, as failure to protect this information can result in significant financial and reputational consequences for healthcare organizations, as well as emotional distress and identity theft for patients.

Unfortunately, patient data security is under constant threat from cyberattacks, insider threats, and physical theft or loss. These threats underscore the need for healthcare organizations to implement best practices for patient data security, such as encryption, access controls, data backups, and security awareness training.

Continue reading to know more about patient data security, its importance, threats as well as the best practices to ensure the safety of patient data

What Is Patient Data Security

Patient data security refers to the protection of sensitive information about patients, such as their personal identifiable information (PII), electronic health records (EHRs), and financial data. It involves preventing unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of such information, as well as ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Importance of Patient Data Security

Ensuring patient data security is critical for several reasons.

• First, it is essential for safeguarding patients’ privacy and rights. Patients have the right to know that their sensitive information is being kept confidential and secure.
• Second, patient data security is necessary for maintaining the integrity and quality of healthcare services. Health professionals rely on accurate and up-to-date patient data to provide effective diagnosis, treatment, and care.
• Third, patient data security is crucial for protecting healthcare organizations from legal, financial, and reputational risks. Data breaches and cyber attacks can result in severe penalties, lawsuits, and loss of trust from patients and the public.

Related: Key Components of Healthcare Data Security

Types of Patient Data

Here are the types of patient data.

Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is information that can be used to identify a patient, such as their name, address, social security number, date of birth, and medical history. PII is a critical component of patient data and must be protected at all times. If PII is compromised, it can lead to identity theft, fraud, or other forms of malicious activities.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are digital records of a patient’s medical history, including their diagnoses, treatments, prescriptions, and test results. EHRs are a valuable source of information for healthcare professionals, as they allow for quick access to patient data and better collaboration between healthcare providers.

However, EHRs also pose a risk to patient data security, as they can be accessed by unauthorized individuals, either through hacking or insider threats.

Financial Data

Financial data is sensitive patient information that includes billing and insurance information, credit card numbers, and other financial records. Financial data must be protected at all times to prevent identity theft, fraud, and other forms of financial crimes. Healthcare organizations that fail to protect financial data can face legal and financial consequences, as well as damage to their reputation.

Protecting all three types of patient data is essential to ensure patient data security. Healthcare organizations must take the necessary steps to secure this information, including implementing strong security measures and providing appropriate training to employees who handle patient data.

Threats to Patient Data Security

There are threats healthcare organizations must be aware of, these threats include.

Cyber attacks

Cyber attacks are one of the most significant threats to patient data security. They involve attempts by malicious people to gain unauthorized access to patient data through hacking, malware, or other forms of malicious software.

Cyber attacks can lead to the theft or destruction of sensitive patient data, causing significant financial and reputational damage to healthcare organizations. Ransomware attacks, which involve encrypting patient data and demanding payment in exchange for the decryption key, have become increasingly common in recent years and can be particularly devastating.

Insider threats

Insider threats refer to the risk of patient data being compromised by employees within a healthcare organization. This can include intentional or unintentional actions, such as sharing patient data with unauthorized individuals, accessing patient data without authorization, or falling for phishing scams that compromise patient data.

Insider threats are particularly challenging to detect and prevent, as they involve trusted employees who have access to patient data.

Physical theft or loss

Physical theft or loss of patient data can occur when physical devices containing patient data, such as laptops, smartphones, or USB drives, are lost or stolen.

This can also happen when paper records containing patient data are lost or stolen. Physical theft or loss of patient data can result in serious data breaches and expose sensitive patient data to unauthorized individuals.

Healthcare organizations must be aware of these threats to patient data security and take steps to prevent them. This can include implementing strong access controls, regularly training employees on data security best practices, and ensuring that physical devices and records containing patient data are properly secured and tracked. It is also essential to have an incident response plan in place in case of a data breach, to minimize the damage and respond quickly to protect patient data.

Also read: 6 Design Elements Every Hospital Should Have For Additional Safety

Regulations and Laws

There are regulations healthcare organizations must comply with to ensure patient data security.

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a US law that was enacted in 1996 to protect patient privacy and security. HIPAA sets national standards for the protection of sensitive patient information, including PII and EHRs.

The law requires healthcare organizations to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect patient data and ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. HIPAA also includes provisions for breach notification, allowing patients to be informed if their data is compromised. Healthcare organizations that violate HIPAA can face severe penalties, including fines and legal action.

HITECH

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was passed in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). HITECH strengthens the privacy and security protections under HIPAA and promotes the use of electronic health records.

The law provides financial incentives for healthcare organizations that adopt EHRs but also impose significant penalties for non-compliance with HIPAA, including data breaches. HITECH also requires that patients be notified in case of a data breach.

GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union (EU) regulation that was implemented in 2018 to protect the privacy and security of personal data. The GDPR applies to all companies that process the personal data of EU citizens, including healthcare organizations that collect and process patient data.

The regulation requires healthcare organizations to obtain patient consent for data processing and to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect patient data. The GDPR also includes provisions for breach notification, giving patients the right to be informed in case of a data breach.

Healthcare organizations must comply with these regulations and laws to ensure patient data security. This involves implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures, including access controls, data encryption, and regular employee training on data security best practices. Compliance with these regulations and laws not only protects patient data but also helps healthcare organizations avoid legal and financial penalties.

Best Practices for Patient Data Security

Here are some ways to ensure the safety of patient data.

Encryption

Encryption is the process of converting patient data into a coded format that can only be deciphered with a specific key. This is an essential security measure to prevent unauthorized access to patient data, particularly during transmission or storage.

Healthcare organizations should ensure that patient data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. This can be achieved through the use of secure protocols for data transfer and data encryption tools for data storage.

Access controls

Access controls are security measures that restrict access to patient data to authorized personnel only. This can include implementing strong passwords and multi-factor authentication for system access, as well as defining specific user roles and privileges for accessing patient data. Healthcare organizations should also regularly review and update access control policies to ensure that they remain effective and appropriate.

Data backups

Data backups are essential for protecting patient data in case of a disaster or data breach. Regular data backups ensure that patient data can be recovered quickly and accurately in case of a data loss event.

Healthcare organizations should implement a backup and recovery strategy that includes multiple copies of patient data, including off-site backups, and regular testing of backup and recovery procedures.

Security awareness training

Security awareness training is an essential component of any patient data security program. Healthcare organizations should provide regular training to employees to ensure they are aware of the risks to patient data and understand how to prevent data breaches.

This can include training on phishing and social engineering attacks, password hygiene, and physical security measures, among other topics.

Other best practices for patient data security include implementing intrusion detection and prevention systems, regularly updating software and hardware, and performing regular security audits and risk assessments.

By following these best practices, healthcare organizations can protect patient data from threats and ensure that patient privacy is maintained.

Related: 4 Steps to Take After You Suspect Being a Victim of Medical Malpractice

Conclusion

In conclusion, patient data security practices are essential for protecting patient privacy and preventing data breaches. Healthcare organizations must prioritize patient data security and comply with regulations and laws such as HIPAA and GDPR. By taking a comprehensive approach to patient data security, healthcare organizations can reduce the risk of data breaches and protect patient data from threats.

Editors Picks

Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare: Best Benefits And Downsides

Most Common Robotic Surgery Procedures 2023: Benefits and Risks

Where can a food scientist work in Nigeria? Have you been bothered with this question before now? Read to the last dot for every detail you need.

A food scientist determines the taste and stability of foods both for restaurants and for long-term shelf life.

They work on diverse projects that involve creating a variety of food formulas and a lot of hands-on cooking when they’re first starting out.

Who is a Food Scientist?

Food scientists study the basic components of food. They analyze nutritional content, discover food sources, and develop ways to make processed foods safe and nutritious.

The role of a food scientist is to research, develop and test different ingredients and foods, making sure they are safe for humans to consume.

They use their knowledge of life and physical sciences to create new technologies and methods of food production, processing, and packaging. They also implement regulatory aspects, so that finished products meet the standards of quality and safety as per the food laws and regulations of that country.

Food scientists use scientific techniques to state correct nutritional information for food labeling; research new methods to keep food fresh and safe for a longer duration; work on processing methodologies to reduce time and cost while maintaining nutrients and quality; ensure that the food is safe and does not have any risk of contamination.

What do food scientists do?

Food scientists perform many duties including:

• Carrying out research to discover easier and less expensive means of food production.
• Decreasing sugar content in food products.
• Blending/mixing new ingredients to create new recipes.
• Develop processes that make large-scale food production easier.
• Creating better ways to preserve foods, while maintaining their freshness.
• Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
• Carrying out tests to determine the safety and quality of manufactured foods.
• Building machines that assist in producing large quantities of food products.
• Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
• Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.

Where can a food scientist work in Nigeria?

Food scientists work in laboratories, in offices, and in the field. They spend most of their time studying data and reports in a laboratory or an office. Fieldwork includes visits to farms or processing plants.

When visiting a food or animal production facility, agricultural and food scientists must follow biosecurity measures, wear suitable clothing, and tolerate the environment associated with food production processes.

This environment may include noise associated with large production machinery, cold temperatures associated with food production or storage, and close proximity to animal byproducts.

In the private sector, most food scientists work in the R&D departments of food processing companies. Many work in processing plants as quality control inspectors or production supervisors.

Some are involved in teaching and research in universities. Others work in sales or advertising of food products and technologies.

Certain positions may require travel, either domestic, international, or both. The amount of travel can vary widely.

Here in Nigeria, some of the places where a food Scientist can work include:

• Agro-allied Industries
• Food/Beverage Industries
• Research Institutes
• Government/Private Agencies
• Health Organizations
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Universities
• Wineries
• Refineries

Practical Examples of such industries include Honeywell Floor Mills Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Rite Foods, etc.

Research Institutes include NSPRI, CRIN, FIIRO, and UTA. While agencies like NAFDAC, SON, and FCCPC constitute some government and private-owned institutions.

Required skills of a Food scientist

Oral and written Communication skills: Communication skill is critical for agricultural and food scientists.

They must explain their studies extensively and effectively from what they were trying to learn, the methods they used, what they found, and what they think the implications of their findings are. They should also Know how to report meaningful writings and be a skillful record keeper.

Math skills: Food scientists, like many other scientists, must have a sound grasp of mathematical concepts.

Observation skills: Agricultural and food scientists conduct experiments that require precise observation of samples and other data. Any mistake could lead to inconclusive or inaccurate results. They should also have the zeal to conduct research.

Problem-solving Skills: it’s one thing to discover a problem, it’s another to proffer a solution. Food scientists should be problem solvers with good analytical skills.

Possess project management skills: They should Have a good grasp of IT and management and also have mastered a teamwork spirit.

How to Become a food scientist

To become a food Scientist, one needs to

1. Complete a Bachelor’s Degree Program:

If one has an aim to become a food scientist, they at least need a bachelor’s degree in an area such as food science, chemistry, microbiology, or a related field.

These courses impart students with fundamental principles in food science as well as research techniques. Subjects like human nutrition, food chemistry, food microbiology, food processing, food quality, etc.

2. Earn an Advanced Degree:

An advanced degree, such as a Master of Science or Ph.D. in Food Science is required for food scientist positions in various government laboratories, and authorities.

A graduate in Food Science can opt for a specialization in food chemistry, manufacturing processes, or engineering for a master’s degree.

The Master’s program is of 2 years and includes research/ project work with a thesis on a topic in food science, nutrition, or biochemistry.

Ph.D. programs may take 3-4 years, with intense research work and thesis and research publications on any current/ upcoming technology, product or packaging, biochemistry, or nutrition.

3. Attend workshops/certification programs:

One can always earn better opportunities by upgrading the knowledge with various short-term workshops or certification courses like ISO, HACCP, regulatory, or recent technologies by various universities or government authorities.

Certification is based on successfully completing a qualifying exam. Interested individuals can also take advantage of online study.

Conclusion

Food scientists conduct experiments to improve the safety of foods, increase the number of days they can stay edible, enrich the taste of foods, and even add to the nutritional benefits of the things we eat.

Since feeding is a habit that is common to us all, pursuing a career in Food Science and Technology is not a bad idea at all. It is lucrative and will remain relevant.

So, if you happen to be a foodie, and you are naturally curious about the science of food production, you should start considering a career in the field.

With the list of different places you can work as a food scientist in Nigeria, you can go ahead now and study your course without fear of scarcity of job opportunities.

Editor’s pick

how to become a pharmacist in Nigeria

Where can a microbiologist work in Nigeria? best 17 work places

The importance of technology in healthcare

How to improve your health for free: 5 easy ways

10 Signs That You’re Living an Unhealthy Lifestyle

Following and maintaining healthy eating habits is a challenge for many people. It can be difficult to deny the cravings that divert our choices of eating healthy meals over unhealthy ones. 

Aging comes with many health challenges for people who fail to match proper diet and lifestyle. As people age, they need to filter and choose the foods that offer the best nutritional value as their bodies’ need becomes more prominent.

Older people’s bodies take more time to digest and process heavy foods, leading to a slow metabolism that can lead to health complications. Some medical conditions and medications can also affect seniors’ eating habits since they can limit them from eating some foods. These prescriptions and illnesses can also lead to loss of appetite, making them skip meals, which impacts their healthy eating habits. 

[lwptoc]

Ways To Encourage Seniors To Follow Healthy Eating Habits

The nutritional needs of the body vary for every senior. However, following a healthy diet is one of the tips for maintaining health in seniors. The outline below highlights the ways you can encourage seniors to follow healthy eating habits:

• Having Scheduled Meals And Eating With Them

As people age, they may find it challenging to perform chores independently. They may forget what time to eat, messing up their healthy eating habits. Therefore, as their caretaker, it would be best to schedule and eat meals with them daily. Offering them company during meals can motivate them to eat as they would feel more comfortable sharing a table with people close to them rather than alone. It would also help them eat healthy meals on time, aiding their digestion and health.

• Preparing Meals With Them And Asking Them What To Eat

You can also encourage seniors to follow healthy eating habits by asking them what they would want to eat and helping them prepare the meal. Allowing them to choose what they want to eat can improve their appetite as their selection would be on the menu.  

• Minimizing Their Dependence On Table Salt

As much as salt adds taste to foods we consume, its consumption can bring about health issues like high blood pressure. Heart problems can occur in seniors due to increased sodium levels. Therefore, it’s crucial to balance salt intake to help maintain the sodium levels of seniors, minimizing heart attacks. To prevent seniors from increasing their sodium levels, you can encourage them to use sodium-free alternatives. Go for seasonings like roasted cumin, pepper, citrus flavors, fresh herbs, and garlic powder, and avoid packaged food. If you’re looking for a place that can care for the elderly with a nutritious diet, Vivante Living sets the norm.   

• Helping Them Manage Their Weight

Weight management is crucial to everyone, as being underweight or obese might lead to health-related issues. Seniors face weight management challenges as their lifestyle might not present active activities, or they may have conditions that require less to no activity. Monitoring the calories of seniors and ensuring they are in proper proportions can help them manage their weight. You may also get a personalized diet chart from their nutritionist, get suggestions for food from a doctor, or watch their daily calorie intake for weight management.

• Motivating Them To Consume More Liquids

As people age, the sense of thirst lessens. Water has nutritional benefits as it helps maintain the body’s hydration level. You can help your seniors stay hydrated by encouraging them to consume plenty of water daily. You may give them a jug of water to finish throughout the day. You can also suggest drinking tea, milk, coffee, or healthy smoothies to help them hydrate their bodies. However, avoiding salty and sugary drinks would be wise to help contribute to better health.

• Highlighting The Importance Of Increasing Their Immunity

As people age, the immunity and ability of their bodies to fight diseases reduce, making them prone to infections and diseases. Health issues that might occur among seniors include diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.

These health conditions might prevail and can even lead to fatalities. Informing them of the importance of improving their immunity can help encourage them to follow healthy eating habits. Following a healthy lifestyle and a good diet would be wise to boost immunity. The foods known to boost immunity include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, foods rich in flavonoids and omega 3, dark berries, tea, cocoa, and citrus fruits.

• Including Fiber-friendly Food In Their Meals

By consuming fiber-rich foods, seniors can prevent diabetes as they slow down the release of sugars into the bloodstream, maintaining blood glucose levels. Foods rich in fiber include green vegetables like salads, leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fruits. Incorporating fiber-friendly foods in their meals can help them follow healthy eating habits.   

Takeaway

It’s pretty challenging to follow and maintain healthy eating habits. Cravings tend to make us choose unhealthy diets over healthy ones. However, the strength and immunity of the human body tend to reduce as we grow older.

Following healthy eating habits can significantly ensure seniors remain strong and healthy. However, they may be picky with their food and not be able to prepare healthy meals themselves. Luckily, with your help and the tips above, they can maintain healthy eating habits.

Editor’s Picks

Nursing homes in Mississippi

How to become a neonatal nurse

A personal injury incident is a type of case that can be seen in an “accident,” but someone’s fault does always cause it.

They are caused by the fault of one of the parties involved, which can leave people wondering what they should do next if they are injured in this type of situation.

If you want to know all you need to know about personal injury incidents, that is where we come in.

[lwptoc]

What is a Personal Injury Incident?

A personal injury incident is a situation where someone has been injured due to someone else’s negligence. You can sue the responsible party for damages if you have been injured in a personal injury incident.

Who is a Personal Injury Attorney?

When you’re involved in a car accident, you might wonder how to handle the situation on your own. But contacting an experienced personal injury attorney is in your best interest if you’re dealing with serious injuries.

A personal injury attorney is a legal expert trained in the area of law they practice. This means that the lawyers at Fasig Brooks knows all the ins and outs of every aspect of the civil law, from contracts to wills and everything in between. They know how to navigate the court system and use their knowledge to get results for their clients, and often, these results are much more favorable than what would have happened if they’d taken matters into their own hands.

The Most Common Personal Injuries

Personal injuries are the most common type of civil case filed in any court. Most residents have experienced a personal injury situation at some time during their lives and have either been directly involved in one or known an individual who has been injured.

1. Car Accident

If you were injured in a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering. It may also be possible to recover damages for your car if it’s been damaged beyond repair.

1. Bicycle Accidents

If you were injured while riding your bicycle, you could be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. It may also be possible to recover damages for your bicycle if it’s been damaged beyond repair.

1. Work Injuries

If you were injured on the job, you could be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. It may also be possible to recover damages for your work injury if it’s been permanently altered or disfigured due to the accident.

1. Spousal or Child Abuse

Suppose someone has abused or neglected you or a family member in some way, such as by inflicting physical pain or mental suffering. In that case, their insurance policy may be liable for those injuries. Also known as “domestic violence,” this type of claim can arise when one person causes harm to another simply because they feel like doing so without regard for the consequences.

1. Slip and Fall Accidents

A slip and fall accident causes this at home or in public places like a mall or a store because of defective flooring or slippery surfaces.

Be Sure to Keep Records of all Your Medical Expenses as Evidence

When dealing with a personal injury, keeping records of all your medical expenses is essential. This way, when you’re in court or negotiating with an insurance company, you can show them how much medical care was necessary for your injuries and how much those costs totaled up.

You’ll also want to keep receipts for any other related expenses, even if you had to pay a friend or family member to help take care of you during your recovery period. These records will help your attorney prove that your injuries were severe and long-lasting enough to warrant compensation from the at-fault party.

How to Deal With Insurance Companies

When you’re dealing with an insurance company, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, know the type of coverage you have. This will help you understand what kind of claims they will deny and how they will try to deny them.

Second, know your rights. If you believe your insurance company has unfairly denied your claim, ask them to review it again. If they refuse to do so or make unreasonable demands on you, consider hiring an attorney specializing in insurance claims or personal injury cases.

You’ll also need to find out if the company has a “no-fault” policy, which means they won’t cover any legal fees or costs related to your case. You may ask if they have a “bad faith” clause, which can be used when negotiating an agreement with them instead of going through mediation.

Finally, don’t be afraid to negotiate. Insurance companies tend to be very good at negotiating on behalf of their clients, but sometimes their clients aren’t as savvy about how best to do this themselves. Don’t be afraid to ask for more money than what the insurance company offers if the case seems worth more than what they initially offer because often it does.

How do You Prove Negligence for an Incident?

Negligence is one of the most common types of personal injury cases. To prove negligence, you must show that the defendant’s actions or inactions caused your injury. It’s important to understand that it’s not enough for you to show that someone else’s negligence caused your injury; you also have to show that you were injured as a result of their negligence.

For example, suppose a private investigator hired by your insurance company accidentally hits you with his car and injures you. In that case, he will not be held responsible for the accident unless he was negligent in driving his car in the first place.

Suppose you can show that someone did something negligently, even if they didn’t intend to, but it nonetheless resulted in an injury. In that case, they may be liable for damages related to that injury. In this case, proving negligence isn’t as simple as just showing that something happened due to someone else’s actions or inactions; it requires proving that what happened had more than an indirect link to another event.

What About Punitive Damages?

Punitive damages are not a part of the damages you can recover in a personal injury suit. They are only awarded when a defendant is found guilty of criminal activity and the court decides they must be punished. Punitive damages punish the wrongdoer, not make them pay for their crime.

The idea behind punitive damages is that they punish the wrongdoer for their behavior, which makes everyone safer because it works as a deterrent. However, punitive damages can’t be awarded for any reason; they’re only available if there’s been some wrongdoing on the defendant’s part, such as fraud or intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Conclusion

Talk to a lawyer if you or someone you know has been injured in a personal injury incident, such as a car accident, slip, fall, work injury, or any other type of accident.

Your attorney will help you understand your legal rights and obligations so that you can seek all compensation possible for the injuries that you have suffered. A review of the facts of an accident is also critical for your lawyer to determine whether there are grounds for filing a lawsuit against another party who may be at fault for your injuries.

Editor’s Picks

How to prove wrongful death

Examples of medical errors

The use of cannabis in a recreational setting has been decriminalized in Colorado since 2012.

In fact, Colorado is probably one of the most progressive out of all the states in the United States because it is one of the first to legalize medical marijuana.

So it comes as no surprise that cannabidiol oil– popularly known as CBD oil– is also legal in the state of Colorado.

Unlike many other states, it allows for hemp and other hemp-derived products, like CBD oil, to be used in cooking.

In this post, we’ll explore the history of CBD in the state, how it’s evolved over time and how to find a reliable CBD Colorado company.

[lwptoc]

Colorado’s History in Cannabis Legalization

It’s hard to believe that cannabis was only legalized in Colorado less than a decade ago. In 2012, Colorado became one of the first states in the nation to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Since then, the state’s cannabis industry has flourished, with no signs of slowing down.

Other states have followed suit in legalizing cannabis, but Colorado was definitely a pioneer in the movement.

The state’s long history with cannabis goes back much further than 2012, though. In fact, Colorado has a long and complicated relationship with cannabis that predates its legalization. 

For generations, cannabis was an integral part of traditional medicine. In the early 1900s, cannabis was included in the U.S. Pharmacopeia, which is a reference book for standard medications. Cannabis was first criminalized in the state of Colorado in 1917. This was largely due to the fear and paranoia surrounding the plant that was perpetuated by the media.

This negative attitude towards cannabis persisted for several decades. In the 1970s, Colorado was at the forefront of the cannabis decriminalization movement. This was a time when many states were beginning to reassess their laws surrounding the plant. In 1975, Colorado passed a law that decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis.

Legalization of cannabis for medical purposes

The medical use of cannabis was first legalized in Colorado in the year 2000. Its recreational use was then decriminalized in 2012.  The history of cannabis in Colorado is reflective of the changing attitudes towards the plant throughout the years.

What was once seen as a dangerous and illicit substance is now widely accepted as safe and effective. The state’s thriving cannabis industry is a testament to this change in attitude. Colorado’s history with cannabis is a long and complicated one, but it ultimately ends in success.

General Guidelines 

• You must be 21 years of age or older to purchase CBD in Colorado.
• CBD products must also be labeled properly, with the CBD content clearly listed. 
• When purchasing CBD products, it’s important to do your research and choose a reputable brand. 
• Make sure to look for products that are third-party tested and made from high-quality ingredients. 

How To Find a Great CBD Supplier

If you’re looking for a great CBD supplier, make sure to do your research. There are many different companies out there that claim to offer high-quality CBD products, but not all of them are created equal.

1. Make sure to read reviews and compare prices before making your final decision.
2. Look for products that have been tested by a third-party lab to ensure quality and potency.
3. Each product should be clearly labeled with the amount of CBD it contains.
4. You should be able to quickly tell what type of CBD the product contains. CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD and offers the most potent effects. Full-spectrum CBD products contain all of the compounds found in the cannabis plant, including THC. Broad-spectrum CBD products contain most of the compounds found in the cannabis plant but don’t contain THC.
5. A trustworthy company will welcome your questions and be transparent about its manufacturing process.

CBD FAQs

See below;

Q. What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring compound found in the cannabis plant. It is one of over 113 cannabinoids identified in hemp plants, accounting for up to 40% of the plant’s extract. As a non-psychoactive compound, CBD has a wide range of potential therapeutic applications in many different areas of health and wellness.

Q. How does CBD work?

The human body contains a specialized system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is involved in regulating a variety of functions including sleep, appetite, pain and immune system response. The body produces endocannabinoid, which are neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors in your nervous system.

CBD binds to cannabinoid receptors in the body to support the endocannabinoid system, which helps to regulate various functions in the body.

Q. What are the benefits of CBD?

CBD has been shown to offer a wide range of potential health benefits, including reducing inflammation, relieving pain, reducing anxiety and depression, and more.

Q. Is CBD safe?

CBD is considered to be generally safe and well-tolerated by most people. However, some people may experience mild side effects such as fatigue, diarrhea, or changes in appetite. It’s important to talk to your doctor before taking CBD if you have any concerns about its safety.

Q. How do I take CBD?

CBD is available in many different forms, including oils, tinctures, capsules, edibles, and topical creams. The best way to take CBD depends on your preferences and goals. For example, if you’re looking for the quickest relief from pain, you may want to use a CBD topical cream. If you’re interested in taking CBD for long-term wellness benefits, you may want to try taking it in an oil or tincture form.

Q. Will CBD get me high?

No, CBD will not make you high. THC is the compound in cannabis that produces psychoactive effects and is responsible for the “high” feeling often associated with marijuana use. CBD does not produce any psychoactive effects and will not make you high.

Editor’s Picks

Are CBD E-liquids the future of cannabis?

In today’s blog post, will give a clear distinction of palliative care vs hospice. Therefore, you are expected to read to the last dot of this for a better understanding of the two

Many Americans pass away in places like hospitals or nursing homes while receiving care that is against their preferences.

It’s crucial for senior citizens to make arrangements in advance and communicate their end-of-life desires to their caretakers, physicians, and family members.

Overview of Palliative care vs Hospice

While both hospice and palliative care aim to relieve pain and symptoms, the prognosis and goals of care frequently differ.

Hospice is comfort care without the goal of curing; either the patient has run out of curative options or has decided against seeking therapy because the risks outweigh the rewards. Comfort care can be given with or without a desire to cure a condition.

Although palliative care and hospice care are similar, they differ significantly. Patients must be eligible for Medicare because more than 90% of hospice treatment is covered by the Medicare hospice benefit; patients receiving palliative care do not need to be eligible for Medicare.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a form of specialist medical care that is provided to patients who are currently coping with a life-threatening condition, such as cancer or heart failure.

Patients who are receiving palliative care may get treatment aimed to cure their serious illness in addition to receiving medical care for their symptoms, which is known as palliative care.

See Also; Best hospitals in Nashville Tennessee

Palliative care is intended to supplement the treatment that a person is already receiving by placing an emphasis on the individual’s and their family’s quality of life.

Who can benefit from palliative care?

Anyone who is currently coping with a terrible illness, such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or any of the dozens of other conditions for which palliative care is available, can benefit from it.

Palliative care is helpful at any stage of a person’s illness, but it is most effective when it is initiated as soon as possible once a diagnosis has been made.

Patients who get palliative care might benefit from having their options for medical treatment clarified, in addition to having their quality of life improved and symptom relief obtained.

Any elderly person who is experiencing a great deal of general discomfort and impairment toward the latter stages of life may benefit from the coordinated services that are provided through palliative care.

Who makes up the palliative care team?

A palliative care team is comprised of a number of specialists who collaborate with the patient, the patient’s family, and the patient’s other physicians to offer support on a variety of fronts, including the medical, social, emotional, and practical.

In addition to being made up of medical doctors and registered nurses who specialize in palliative care, the team also has members who are social workers, dietitians, and chaplains.

It is possible for a person’s team to change depending on the type and intensity of care they require.

A referral to a palliative care specialist from a health care provider is often the first step in receiving palliative care for an individual.

A recommendation can be requested from a health care professional even if it isn’t suggested by the health care provider themselves.

Where is palliative care provided?

Palliative care can be administered in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient palliative care clinics, and certain other types of specialized clinics.

It can also be administered in the comfort of one’s own home.

Palliative care may be covered by insurance policies in addition to Medicare and Medicaid. Palliative treatment is available through the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who meet the requirements.

There is a possibility that services will be covered by private medical insurance. Questions concerning what health insurance providers will cover can be answered by those providers.

Palliative care does not require a patient to forego curative treatment in order to receive relief from the symptoms of a life-threatening illness.

It is possible to provide palliative care concurrently with curative treatment, and it may even start at the time of diagnosis.

There are two choices to consider if, as time passes, the attending physician or the palliative care team comes to the conclusion that continuous treatment is no longer beneficial.

Read Also: Canadian pharmaceutical distribution network

If the attending physician believes that the patient will pass away within the next six months, then palliative care may be transitioned into hospice care (for more information, see What does the hospice six-month requirement mean?).

Alternately, the palliative care team could continue to be of assistance, albeit with a greater focus on providing comfort care.

What Kind of Patients Choose Palliative Care?

The American Society of Clinical Oncology has recognized the traits of a patient who should get palliative care but not curative treatment; similar traits apply to individuals with other diseases as well.

• The patient’s capacity to take care of himself is limited.
• After receiving curative care, the patient is no longer receiving its benefits.
• The patient is ineligible for the right clinical trial.
• There is no proof that additional therapy would work.
• Discuss your healthcare preferences and whether palliative or hospice care could enhance your quality of life with your family and doctor.

What is hospice care?

Hospice care is becoming more popular among the dying. Hospice care focuses on the care, comfort, and quality of life of a patient with a terminal illness.

If a major sickness cannot be cured or a patient refuses to undergo certain therapies, there are two options: give up trying.

Because of this, hospice services exist. When a patient begins hospice care, he or she recognizes that medical efforts to cure or delay the disease’s progression are futile.

Unlike palliative care, hospice does not seek to cure the patient’s condition, but rather provides comprehensive comfort care and support for family members.

Hospice care is offered to terminally ill patients whose doctors estimate that they have six months or less to live if their illness is allowed to progress naturally.

It’s critical that a patient and their doctor talk about their alternatives for end-of-life care. Hospice treatment can be underutilized if people don’t begin it early enough. It’s possible that they’ve waited too long to seek hospice care and are now at the end of their time.

Read Also: Best business ideas for pharmacists

Hospice care may not be available to certain patients in time for them to benefit fully. It may be possible to provide months of meaningful care and quality time with loved ones if you start hospice early.

Where is hospice care provided and who provides it?

Hospice is an attitude to care, not a specific location, therefore it is not constrained by geography.

It can be provided in a variety of places, including the patient’s own home, a nursing home, a hospital, or even a hospice facility.

There are a variety of professionals involved in hospice care, such as nurses, social workers, clergy, and trained volunteers.

Everyone works together to offer the physical, emotional, and spiritual support necessary for the person who is dying, the caregiver, and/or their family.

Regular visits from a hospice team member are made, and someone can typically be reached by phone at any time of day or night – 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Medicare and other insurance providers may provide coverage for hospice treatment.

Remember that halting treatment for a disease does not entail abandoning all of the treatment that has been used thus far. An elderly individual suffering from cancer is an excellent illustration.

There will be no further chemotherapy if the doctor believes that the patient’s cancer is not responding to treatment and the patient chooses to undergo hospice care. As long as it’s beneficial, additional medical care can continue. Medicine for conditions such as high blood pressure will still be prescribed.

Despite the fact that hospice offers a great deal of assistance, the majority of a person’s daily needs are met by the people closest to them.

For those who need a break from caring for a loved one who is dying, a hospice team can provide that service. The duration of respite care might range from a few hours up to many weeks.

Where Do I Receive Hospice or Palliative Care?

The provision of hospice care might take place within the patient’s own home or within hospice houses, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, veterans’ facilities, hospitals, or any number of other establishments.

Paying for Palliative Care vs Hospice

Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies each pay their share of the costs associated with hospice care in full.

Hospice care is the only Medicare benefit that covers pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, access to care around the clock, nursing, social services, visits from chaplains, and grief support after a death, in addition to any other services that are deemed appropriate by the hospice agency.

In contrast, the costs of palliative care can range anywhere from the price of an office visit to the price of a prescription.

What are the benefits of hospice care?

When compared to families who did not have access to hospice services, those whose loved ones got end-of-life care through a hospice program report higher levels of satisfaction with the care they received.

People who don’t use hospice care are less likely to have tests or be given drugs that they don’t need, whereas hospice patients have a higher chance of having their pain controlled and a lower chance of receiving unnecessary medications.

Conclusion on Palliative care vs Hospice

Hospice and palliative care are two types of care that can assist a terminally ill patient and their family in coping with the myriad of challenges associated with a serious illness.

These challenges include the management of pain, the resolution of family conflict, and the handling of issues pertaining to spirituality and culture.

Read Also: Learn about dispensing pharmacy

When a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it can be extremely challenging to choose between the two different types of treatment; nevertheless, a physician can help lead the decision-making process and offer the alternative that is most appropriate.

The correct provider of hospice or palliative care will also be able to perform an evaluation that helps identify which option is the most suitable fit for a person’s requirements and desired outcomes from treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here is you will find the answers to the questions relating to Palliative care vs Hospice;

• How do I know if palliative care is right for me?

If you’re dealing with a life-threatening illness, you may benefit from palliative care. Cancer, heart disease, lung disease, renal disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and many more are examples of serious illnesses.

A serious illness can warrant palliative care at any point in the disease’s progression. You can also receive this type of care when you are undergoing treatment for a specific illness.

• What can I expect from palliative care?

Finally, you can anticipate an increase in your quality of life. Symptoms like pain, shortness of breath, exhaustion, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping will be relieved. Close communication and greater control over your care are also expected.

• Will my insurance cover palliative care?

Much like other hospital and medical treatments, the majority of insurance plans pay in full or in part for palliative care.

Also, Medicare and Medicaid fall under this category. A social worker or financial advisor from the palliative care team can assist you with payment solutions if expenses worry you.

• Do I have to give up my own doctor?

Palliative care is not a replacement for the treatment provided by your general physician; rather, it is an additional layer of support provided by a team that collaborates with your primary physician.

Editor’s Picks

Examples of medical errors

How much does cancer treatment cost

Top questions to ask your doctor

When a family member is in an accident that results in the loss of their life, you and other surviving family members can experience financial loss and emotional hardship.

Not only are the cost of a coffin and other burial requirements expensive, but also the missing income and other services provided by the deceased make things difficult for their dependents. Once you prove a person is liable for an accident, you can pursue wrongful death charges.

Lawyers Wattel & York can help provide the proof necessary to show that the other party was negligent in some way.

Here are ways that you can prove that your family member was not at fault for their own injuries as you file a compensation claim.

[lwptoc]

Negligence And Duty Of Care

You must prove the other party was negligent. In general, a duty of care doesn’t have to be proven unless there was a professional relationship between your loved one and the other party.

For example, in a case of medical malpractice, the doctor owed your family member a duty of care because the clinic was treating the deceased family member.

However, in the case of a car accident, duty of care is already apparent because everyone on the road is required to follow traffic laws. To prove that the other party was negligent, they must have broken a law or acted recklessly.

Breach Of Duty

Once you’ve proven the other party was neglectful in some way, this is considered a breach of duty. This means that their actions were careless leading up to an accident and could have been avoided.

For example, in a slip and fall wrongful death case, the property owner may have caused a breach of duty by not clearing ice from their premises. 

Causation

The actions of the other party have to be directly connected to the death of your loved one. If it happened by indirect means, your attorney may be able to prove how their actions led to the accident. However, in general, the only person who can be held liable is the one who caused the injury. 

For example, if a pothole in the road caused your loved one to veer into another car’s path unexpectedly and resulted in a fatal car accident, the township may be liable.

Because the pothole forced the car to swerve out of their lane, your attorney may decide to put the blame entirely on the municipality that owns the road and not the other driver if they were not acting negligently.

Harm

There has to be some form of damage or proof that the accident resulted in harm done to the deceased. You cannot seek damages on behalf of your family member without proof their death was caused directly by the accident.

Forms of Damages That Can Be Used as Proof

Wrongful death damages cover the fiscal deficit created by a missing family member. In most wrongful death cases, you may be able to claim the following damages on behalf of your deceased family member.

Medical Expenses

Before the family member passed away, they may have suffered from injuries that required medical care.

These medical bills may have piled up before their death. Medical expenses stemming from the accident such as surgery, medication, physical exams, and lab tests can be covered in your compensation. 

Funeral Costs

Funerals are expensive and often include the service, pamphlets, invitations, flowers, and other fees. Burial costs may be included as well. Urns or coffins are expensive. The cost of the embalming or cremation can also be added to the settlement total.

Loss of Potential Earnings

Wrongful death victims could have lived a full life and provided income to their dependents but are unable to when deceased. Their potential earnings can create hardship for loved ones, which is why you can also seek compensation for these damages.

Loss of Guidance, Protection, and Benefits

Non-economic damages can include the relationship and services that the loved one provided for their family members.

For example, they may have played a protective role in their loved ones’ lives. They also may have provided guidance and an inheritance for their descendants. 

Pain and Suffering Before Death

You can pursue compensation for emotional turmoil, and the surviving family members can report to their wrongful death attorney what kind of pain and suffering their loved one experienced before passing.

They may have suffered from shame, embarrassment, grief, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions because of their injuries. With the help of an insurance adjuster, your attorney can calculate the pain and suffering. 

Does My Family Member’s Accident Count as a Wrong Death?

You can seek the counsel of a reliable attorney to guide you through the process of filing a claim for your deceased family member. They can review your case and launch an investigation to find out whether or not you are owed compensation. 

There are many ways that your family member could have experienced a wrongful death. They may have been in an automobile accident.

In other instances, they might have gotten into a slip and fall accident, resulting in premises liability. There is also the possibility that your family member purchased an item that caused a fatal injury, leading to a case of product liability. 

Whatever the reason is, you should speak to a wrongful death attorney to determine if you should pursue the case and how much you may be owed based on the evidence available. 

Recommendations

The psychological effect of the death of a loved one

Disability insurance for individuals

NPI is a unique 10-digit number that is assigned to entities covered by HIPAA regulations.

It was introduced to simplify administration in health care to improve the quality of health care for the patients.

Although it is not mandatory, HIPAA authorities encourage all healthcare providers to get an NPI number.

So, if you have not started the process to acquire an NPI number, these are the benefits that might change your approach towards it.

You Are Missing Out On Convenience

Healthcare in America is not ideal and involves plenty of technicalities that can obstruct patient care. The most common of them is the communication with payers and health plans.

As a provider, you have to contact insurance companies to understand which services are covered. Furthermore, if there is a need to involve a third party the communication cannot be done via traditional means owing to the confidentiality of patients.  

NPI offers a solution to all these problems. You can log in to the system and enter the unique NPI of the health plan or payer.

It will show all the services that are covered and the maximum benefits that patients are allowed. Furthermore, with the NPI number payer can directly deposit payment into your accounting software. So, this is an added convenience too. 

Enables Better Care

Many patients have multiple health plans and the benefits of each plan can vary greatly. Plan A might allow elective procedures but Plan B might not.

HIPAA has announced coordination of benefit transactions for such patients. It means that if a procedure is covered by either of the plans that the patient owns, it has to be carried out regardless of the plan the patient was admitted with.

As a provider, you must know the details of each plan in order to know the maximum benefit that the patient is allowed.

To do that just log-in to the portal and enter the NPI number of each plan. It will show you all the procedures and the treatment that the patient is allowed on each plan. Hence, neither you nor the patient would experience any inconvenience.

Increases Profitability of Practice

NPI number can help providers increase profitability in their practice. It is because all the payments are deposited directly into the accounting software of the practice.

You can analyze the transaction to determine which services are making the profit and the ones that are liable. It can help you optimize the practice for more profit.

Patients Can Identify You

Most patients are very careful about their choices of care providers and conduct thorough research before selecting a practitioner or healthcare organization.

If you do not have an NPI number it can make the patients skeptical and can harm the reputation of the practice.

Whereas if you have an NPI number, it would be easy for patients to identify you. Plus, it is free marketing because as the patients search the registry for relevant taxonomy, the name of the practice will appear on the relevant list. 

Recommendations

Tips to improve your healthcare business

Importance of upskilling in healthcare

Though many think that the worst is over, Americans— particularly those in Iowa— are facing another alarming health crisis: a shortage of healthcare workers.

The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa is at the 45th spot among the states with balanced provider-to-patient ratios, and the state needs to produce as many as 160 doctors every year to address the needs of the population. Despite the need for healthcare workers, it’s reported that two out of ten physicians and four out of ten nurses will leave their current areas of practice by the end of this year.

Due to the growing exit of healthcare workers, rural hospitals are at risk of closing down. On top of that, Iowans will be at risk of experiencing worse health outcomes, which means it’s crucial to address the healthcare worker shortage as soon as possible.

What is Causing the Healthcare Worker Shortage in Iowa?

Hospitals in Iowa are finding it difficult to manage multiple vacancies in various staff positions. In spite of being Iowa’s largest hospital, the University of Iowa Health Care is looking to hire hundreds of workers in nursing, food service, housekeeping, maintenance, and more.

The CEO of the hospital stated that the number of people leaving the healthcare industry is rapidly increasing, mainly due to physical exhaustion, poor mental health, and lack of rest.

Several key factors affect the healthcare worker shortage across the state, and one of these factors is the high number of patients.

Healthcare workers have had to risk their lives while attending to record numbers of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in the past few years. On top of that, medical professionals also have to attend to the growing aging population and the increasing number of patients with chronic conditions.

Unfortunately, the shortage of hospital workers is taking a toll on current hospital staff that has to pick up extra shifts and take on more duties. The remaining healthcare workers have to increase their work responsibilities to attend to the high patient population— with little to no increases to their wages.

This is even more concerning given that the average healthcare worker in Iowa earns less than the average healthcare worker on a national scale. Unless immediate action is taken, the remaining workers on staff will get burnt out and repeat the same patterns.

How Can the Healthcare Worker Shortage Be Resolved?

• Increase the Accessibility of Healthcare Through Telehealth

Certain hospitals in Iowa are hiring workers from other states to relieve their workforce. But instead of hiring healthcare workers outside the state, institutions can leverage remote opportunities for nurse practitioners in Iowa to provide primary and urgent care treatments for patients.

These opportunities increase the accessibility of healthcare to residents in rural or even urban Iowa while giving healthcare workers greater control over their work schedules.

Telehealth solutions can be empowering for providers and patients, and can help both parties save time and money, and reduce stress.

• Improve the Educational Opportunities for Aspiring Workers

Apart from addressing the working conditions of healthcare workers, individuals also need to encourage students to pursue a career in the health industry.

As discussed previously, educators can promote the ‘7 Best Accelerated Nursing Programs in Iowa’ to motivate students and professionals to pursue a nursing career. Students can even opt for Allen College’s online RN-BSN nursing programs, so that they can enjoy greater flexibility while learning about nursing theory and practice.

Iowa has multiple accelerated programs for aspiring healthcare workers. Students can choose to go into flexible or even shortened educational programs, so that they can serve their communities as soon as possible.

• Implement Government Regulations and Benefits

The World Bank recommends local governments establish wage regulations so that the healthcare workers can get properly compensated for their sacrifices. These regulations may include the implementation of overtime allowances, hazard allowances, and even performance pays.

The local government must also support paid leave benefits for healthcare workers. Given that these professionals work long hours, these paid leaves can ease up their schedules and drastically reduce their burnout.

It’s not easy to become a healthcare worker, which is why they deserve to have better career opportunities and working conditions. Supporting the healthcare workers of Iowa also supports Iowans, and it’s something that needs to be a priority.

What goes through your mind when you hear about CPT codes. Many must be asking what the meaning of CPT is.

We’ve compiled some information about the CPT code and all the knowledge that people wished to know about CPT codes.

What is CPT code

Firstly, CPT is an abbreviation that stands for Current Procedural Terminology. CPT code is a medical code set that is used to report medical, surgical, and diagnostic procedures and services to entities such as physicians, health insurance companies, and accreditation organizations.

Related: Understanding resuscitation and its role in saving lives

CPT coding is the language of medicine today, offering doctors across the country a uniform process for coding medical services that streamlines reporting and increases accuracy and efficiency.

Evolution Of The CPT Code

The CPT was developed and published in 1966 by the AMA (American Medical Association).

The 1st edition helped encourage the use of standard terms and descriptors to document procedures in the medical record, helped communicate detailed information on procedures and services to agencies concerned with insurance claims, provided the basis for a computer-oriented system to evaluate operative protocols, and contributed basic information for actuarial and statistical objectives.

This 1st edition of CPT contained primarily surgical procedures, with limited sections on medicine, radiology, and laboratory procedures.

The 2nd edition was published in 1970 and presented an expanded system of terms and codes to designate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in surgery, medicine, and specialties.

Furthermore, the 3rd and 4th were introduced and published in the mid-70s, 1970, and 1977 respectively.

The introduction of the 3rd and 4th editions kept pace with the rapidly changing medical environment.

In 1983 CPT was adopted as part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly Health Care Financing Administration’s (HCFA), Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS). With this adoption, CMS mandated the use of HCPCS to report services for the Medicare program.

Also, in 2000, the CPT code set was designated by the Department of Health and Human Services as the national coding standard for physician and other health care professional services and procedures under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

See Also; How to become a medical coder

Furthermore, CPT is used extensively throughout the United States as the preferred system of coding and describing health care services.

Types Of CPT Codes

The CPT codes can be distinguished by the following three categories.

#1. Category 1 CPT code; this code describes distinct medical procedures or services furnished by QHPs(Qualified Healthcare Professionals) and is identified by a 5-digit numeric code [e.g., 29580: Unna boot].

New Category 1 CPT codes are released annually. Category 1 CPT codes are divided into six large sections based on which field of health care they directly pertain. The six sections of the CPT code are, in order;

• Evaluation and Management
• Anesthesiology
• Surgery
• Radiology
• Pathology and Laboratory
• Medicine

Here’s a quick look at the sections of Category 1 CPT codes, as arranged by their numerical range.

• Evaluation and Management: 99201 – 99499
• Anaesthesia: 00100 – 01999; 99100 – 99140
• Surgery: 10021 – 69990
• Radiology: 70010 – 79999
• Pathology and Laboratory: 80047 – 89398
• Medicine: 90281 – 99199; 99500 – 99607

#2. Category 2 CPT code; this code is referred to as the performance measurement code. These numeric alpha codes (e.g., 2029F: complete physical skin exam performed) are used to collect data related to the quality of care.

Category 2 codes are released three times a year in March, July, and November by the CPT Editorial Panel (panels responsible for maintaining the CPT code set). These codes never replace Category 1 or Category 3 codes, and instead, simply provide extra information.

#3. Category 3 CPT code; these codes are temporary tracking codes for new and emerging technologies to allow data collection and assessment of new services and procedures.

They are used to collect data in the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval process or to substantiate widespread usage of the new and emerging technology to justify the establishment of a permanent Category 1 CPT code.

Category 3 CPT codes are issued in a numeric alpha format (e.g., 0307T: near-infrared spectroscopy study for lower extremity wounds).

New Category 3 CPT codes are released biannually (January and July) with a 6-month delay before activation for implementation in the Medicare system.

Codes released on January 1st are effective till July 1st, and codes released on July 1st are effective till January 1st.

The codes usually remain active for five years from the date of implementation, if the code has not been accepted for placement in the Category 1 section of CPT.

Furthermore, before a new code is been proposed, it goes through the following steps;

• The speciality society develops the initial proposal. Typically, the speciality society will be most familiar with trends shaping a specific speciality. As a result, the speciality society can represent important trends driven by technology, changing practices, etc.
• The AMA Staff reviews the code proposal. This preparatory step confirms that the issue has not been previously addressed and that all of the documentation is in place.
• The CPT Specialty Advisory Panel then reviews the code proposal. All are allowed to comment, and those comments are then shared with all participants in the process, but not with the general public.
• The CPT Editorial Panel then reviews the code proposal at its regularly scheduled meeting. The group can approve the code, table the proposal, or reject the proposal.
• Approved Category 1 codes are then submitted to the RUC(Royal Ulster Constabulary) for valuation.

The CPT editorial panel plays a huge role in the category 3 CPT code because there are criteria used in evaluating the category 3 code for emerging technology. Those criteria include;

1. A protocol for a study of procedures being performed.
2. Support from the specialities that would use the procedure.
3. Availability of U.S. peer-reviewed literature.
4. Descriptions of current U.S. trials outlining the efficacy of the procedure.

There are major information requirements for a new CPT code application which include the following;

• A complete description of the procedure or service (e.g., describe in detail the skill and time involved. If a surgical procedure, include an operative report that describes the procedure in detail).
• A clinical vignette describes the typical patient and work provided by the physician/practitioner.
• The diagnosis of patients for whom this procedure/service would be performed.
• A copy(s) of peer-reviewed articles published in U.S. journals indicating the safety and effectiveness of the procedure.
• The frequency with which the procedure is performed and/or estimation of its projected performance.
• A copy(s) of additional published literature, which further explains the request (e.g., practice parameters/guidelines or policy statements on a particular procedure/service).
• Evidence of FDA approval of the drug or device used in the procedure/service if required.
• The rationale why the existing codes are not adequate and can any existing codes be changed to include these new procedures without significantly affecting the extent of the service?

Uses of CPT codes

CPT can be used in the following ways;

• CPT codes are used in conjunction with ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification) or ICD- 10-CM (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification) numerical diagnostic coding during the electronic medical billing process.

ICD-9-CM; is the official system of assigning codes to diagnoses and procedures associated with hospital utilisation in the United States. The ICD-9 was used to code and classify mortality data from death certificates until 1999 when the use of ICD-10 for mortality coding started.

The ICD-9-CM consists of:

• A tabular list containing a numerical list of the disease code numbers in tabular form;
• An alphabetical index to the disease entries; and
• A classification system for surgical, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures (alphabetic index and tabular list).

ICD-10-CM; is a system used by physicians and other healthcare providers to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms and procedures recorded in conjunction with hospital care in the United States.

The ICD-10-CM code set will enhance the quality of data for;

• Tracking public health conditions (complications, anatomical location)
• Improved data for epidemiological research (severity of illness, co-morbidities)
• Measuring outcomes and care provided to patients
• Making clinical decisions
• Identifying fraud and abuse
• Designing payment systems/processing claims

ICD codes has two types of users;

#1. A primary user; primary user of ICD codes includes health care personnel, such as physicians and nurses, as well as medical coders, who assign ICD-9-CM codes to verbatim or abstracted diagnosis or procedure information and thus are originators of the ICD codes. ICD-9-CM codes are used for a variety of purposes, including statistics and billing and claims reimbursement.

#2. A secondary user; secondary user of ICD-9-CM codes is someone who uses already coded data from hospitals, health care providers, or health plans to conduct surveillance and/or research activities.

Public health is largely a secondary user of coded data.

• CPT code is also used for administrative management purposes such as claims processing and developing guidelines for medical care review.
• They are used by insurers to determine the amount of reimbursement a practitioner will receive under your health insurance coverage (and ultimately how much of the bill you will be left responsible for).
• CPT code is used to diagnose medical billing errors

What Are the Most Common CPT Codes?

According to About, the following are the most commonly used CPT codes;

1. (Evaluation and Management): 99201-05
2. New Patient Office Visit 99211-15
3. Established Patient Office Visit 99221-23
4. Initial Hospital Care for New or Established Patient 99231-23
5. Subsequent Hospital Care 99281-85
6. Emergency Department Visits 99241-45

Recommendations

Importance of upskilling in healthcare

Best questions to ask your doctor

Functions of an emergency department in hospitals

Best medical app for doctors in the UK

Planning to start a healthcare business and worried about its growth? This is the most common question asked by every health care service provider at starting stage.

There are certain points that you must consider to get success in this industry.

Tips to Improve Your Healthcare Business

Today we will discuss a few topics which will help to improve the growth possibilities of your health care business.

• Expert health care team:

The very first thing in this segment is to consider the expertise of your health care team. When your services are reliable and effective only then you can win the trust of your users.

There are many fake health care service providers selling their services at low prices but their business remains on the top for a very short period.

Even they face trouble with later effects. Get the best recruitment structure to hire top-performing health care experts in your business. That will strengthen your business for the many successful upcoming years.

• Resourcefulness:

Sometimes we invest in unwanted things and regret them later. You cannot afford to do mistakes and feel regrets. Loss can affect your future investments so each step you raise needs to be carefully planned.

Take a look at your staff requirements, technological requirements, and future investment plans. Where you can get increased output at less investment give priority to that resource. It doesn’t mean that you must ignore other resources.

You can upgrade them later but give priority to the needed one first. If here you need funds then go with instant small business loan options. Switching to this option will timely solve your problem.

• Budget management:

Current era requirements are for the adaptiveness of the latest technology and trends. Also, you can not refuse to get the best promotional sources to get good brand awareness. To secure your position in the market, first analyze your budget.

Think about what amount is good to secure for daily expenses. Also, plan for your investments and training programs.

In case you have less fund availability but you know that certain investments can bring more profit then you must go for that. Here you can use the option of small business loans from the banks or different money lending sources.

Fast business loans can save you from long waiting for approvals. Also, the reduced rate of interest with convenient EMI plans can make it much more convenient to borrow and pay it back. Your budget management will help to utilize borrowed money in the right place to improve your healthcare business.

• Determine your business goal:

A business without a particular goal works in a lost manner. Everything should be pre-identified and planned.

If you have a goal set for your health care business then only you can plan your marketplace, competitive activities, promotion using Facebook ad template, and audience. If your business goals are high then you must be ready for the higher cost of business needs.

But a pre-estimation will help you get prior actions on top and reduce the priority of unwanted or extra expenses.

By determining your healthcare business goals you will get a direction to make strategies, do the planning, and more. It will even help you to increase the number of your satisfied/happy patients. Experts suggest setting a measurable, achievable, and specific goal for your healthcare business. This setup will also support your future expansion plans.

• Stay up-to-date:

Health care sectors are growing very fast. A very special thanks to the technological growth and the social media trends.

Today the solution to every health issue is available online. Even healthcare service providers are using their websites, apps, and more options to stay connected with their patients. Different membership plans, doorstep delivery of the medicine, and other trending facilities can help to divert more traffic to your business.

• Schemes and plans:

Offering better discount offers on revisit, Free medicine delivery. Special discounts on therapies and diagnoses are some ideas to grab patients’ attention. Also, motivate your staff to perform better with some great promotion and reward schemes.

These ideas will improve the level of performance of the employees and also will increase patient visits. Keep yourself engaged in such types of activities to ensure the growth of your health care business.

• Seminars and events:

Organising online events and offline events will get you a chance to interact with more public and turn them into your customers. Sometimes events may fail and cost huge expenses.

Experts know the tricks to make every single event successful. For the success of each event, you can take help of the professional event planners as well. Otherwise doing a deep survey on the right audience can give you a better response at less investment.

Conclusion

Follow the above-mentioned points and enjoy the uninterrupted success of your health care business. Don’t forget the factor of constant innovation.

Take required steps according to the requirement of time. These ideas will surely help you to strengthen your further proceedings towards success.

Editor’s Picks

Medical related business ideas

Top dental practice management software

Importance of upskilling in healthcare

What are the fastest-growing health tech companies?

Quality improvement in healthcare is essential and has caused many people to pour out their minds on it.

According to Debra Sowell, DNP, RN, clinical faculty in graduate nursing programs at Southern New Hampshire University, is a systematic method that is driven by data to improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery (SNHU).

The goal of quality improvement is to provide patient-centered care that is safe, timely, and effective.

As medical institutions strive to improve efficiency, reduce healthcare costs, and achieve the best clinical outcomes, the nursing profession and healthcare systems as a whole place a greater emphasis on improving healthcare quality and safety.

Do you have a strong interest in healthcare safety and risk management? Then you might want to learn more about quality improvement and what it takes to get started or advance in this expanding industry.

What Makes Up Quality Improvement?

For a long time, attempts to improve the quality and safety of healthcare emphasized the individual accountability of nurses and other medical specialists.

According to Sowell, quality improvement (QI) nowadays places a high focus on safety and quality. “The shame and blame game, which previously focused on an individual, has now shifted the focus to working conditions and intricate systems,” Sowell added.

In the recent past, just the discovery of unfavorable occurrences was followed by QI. Human error is now seen as unavoidable, even among the most diligent experts who uphold the greatest standards of care.

Professionals in quality improvement examine the patient and other medical data as well as care delivery procedures. They use the data to determine areas that need improvement and emphasize areas of excellence, according to Sowell.

This work aims to decrease healthcare expenditures, increase medical care delivery efficiency, and enhance patient outcomes.

The subject of healthcare quality improvement has expanded greatly in recent years with the incorporation of medical data-informed decision-making thanks to technological advancements. Technology’s influence, in Sowell’s words, “cannot be understated.” “Manual audits and a lot of time-consuming data-hunting were used in the recent past. The amount of information at our disposal today might be daunting.

To use data meaningfully, healthcare quality experts collaborate with others inside the company. Healthcare quality improvement initiatives can take many various forms depending on how different organizations use the data available for improvement efforts.

Importance of Quality Improvement in Healthcare

Healthcare systems that concentrate on quality improvement can significantly alter a medical facility, resulting in everything from cost savings to, most importantly, patient lives saved.

As seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, a focus on quality improvement in healthcare can also help an institution be better equipped to face a significant disaster or medical crisis.

When the pandemic was at its worst, medical systems all over the world used quality improvement techniques like data analysis to modify their treatment plans, lower patient fatalities and lengths of stay in intensive care units, maintain more open hospital beds, and guarantee the security of all patients and staff.

For instance, a survey of 225 quality improvement specialists in the UK revealed that the pandemic response made extensive use of quality improvement methodologies based on a 2021 article in The BMJ.

In that study, 51% of participants thought that COVID-19 had prioritized quality improvement. In their organization, improvement methods and approaches, according to another 49%, played a bigger role during the pandemic.

Sowell stated that the COVID-19 pandemic “highlighted the need for healthcare quality and safety as healthcare professionals were pushed to deliver exceptional, quality care while protecting themselves, patients, families, as well as the neighborhood.”

The challenge for healthcare quality and safety professionals is to use these errors as learning experiences in order to be better prepared to solve problems in the future.

Investigating careers in healthcare quality improvement could be a good choice if you want to make a significant contribution to patient care and safety in the future.

Quality Improvement in Healthcare Jobs

There is more than one type of healthcare professional who can contribute to quality improvement in the industry.

Instead, it necessitates a coordinated effort from every healthcare organization. Healthcare occupations are expected to increase by 16 percent between 2020 and 2030, according to BLS.

Everyone has a responsibility to improve the quality of healthcare. Everyone in a healthcare organization, regardless of position or job, should be a quality safety champion.

Each discipline has a collaborative role or a seat at the safety and quality table as each views healthcare delivery through a distinct lens.”

Acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and standalone medical clinics are the typical workplaces for healthcare quality and safety specialists.

Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals are some of the individuals actively engaged in quality improvement.

These positions are essential to the coordination and execution of quality improvement strategies as well as the analysis of patient data.

Medical experience and an advanced degree are often needed to get started because they are leadership roles with a direct impact on patient care.

These types of healthcare positions are expected to grow by 16 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is much faster than the national average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

New opportunities for occupations centered on quality improvement will arise as a result of this expansion. A specialist position in quality improvement may be the best fit for you if you wish to manage the organization’s efforts to improve quality.

leaders in quality improvement may hold the following positions:

• Managing Director of Risk
• Health Risk Manager, Director of Quality and Patient Safety
• Patient Safety Officer Quality Improvement Coordinator Performance Improvement Advisor

These positions are essential to the coordination and execution of quality improvement strategies as well as the analysis of patient data. Since these are leadership positions that have a direct bearing on patient care, it is usually necessary to have medical expertise and an advanced degree to start off.

Quality Improvement in Nursing Example

Quality improvement was an element of nursing even before it was formalized as a framework. From bedside nurses to chief nursing officers, nurses understand how difficult it is to deliver high-quality patient care in a broken system.

Nurses are essential to both official and unofficial QI efforts, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC), because they “spend the most time at the patient’s bedside and are in the best position to influence the care patients to receive during a hospital stay,” as well as being “the hospital’s eyes and ears.”

Particularly well-positioned to influence both health outcomes and the patient experience favorably are bedside nurses. As facilities and networks are under more pressure to implement QI programs as part of Value-Based Care, their buy-in is crucial (VBC).

The staff nurse at the center of the system is “the ideal individual to review the status of health care services and to work toward improving the processes according to the American Nurses Association, “the means by which these services are provided.”

Staff nurses are important to the success of QI, but they are not the only nurses. By motivating and enabling personnel in their efforts to enhance procedures, nurse managers improve the surroundings in which healthcare is provided.

Executive nurses have a key role in driving businesses’ quality improvement strategies and securing the funding required to support ongoing quality improvement initiatives. Even when other stakeholders take the lead in QI projects, it is imperative that nurses at all levels participate because frontline nurse participation speeds up transformation.

Nursing is designed to improve quality; it is not an extra task that busy nurses must take on in addition to their main duties.

Instead, it is a part of the processes that are already in place. When nurses advocate an initiative, as one hospital CEO who took part in the HSC study described it, “they are able to achieve real, sustainable change’.”

Conclusion on the Quality Improvement in healthcare

To provide more value for less money, healthcare organizations increasingly rely on quality improvement in healthcare or QI. Updates to processes and procedures are only one part of quality enhancement.

It is a formalized and systematic method of improvement that businesses can use to define objectives for raising the standard of healthcare, gratifying patients, improving processes, and other things.

Quality Improvement in healthcare Frequently Asked Questions

Below, you will find the top answers to the most asked questions about quality improvement in healthcare.

1. What is the importance of quality improvement in healthcare?

To achieve the triple goal of enhancing patient experiences and outcomes, lowering the per capita cost of care, and improving provider experience, primary care practices must participate in quality improvement (QI) activities.

2. What is the most important step in quality improvement?

Create a strategy for the improvement after analyzing the process to identify the modifications that will make it work better; Do: Implement your improvement on a trial or small-scale basis; Check to evaluate if the change is effective by studying; Act: If the modification is effective, expand its application.

3. What are quality improvement tools?

Any expert can use flowcharts, check sheets, Pareto diagrams, cause and effect diagrams, histograms, scatter diagrams, and control charts as seven straightforward tools to simplify the quality improvement process. (Some books list a graph as one of the seven tools rather than a flowchart.)

4. What exactly is healthcare quality improvement?

The framework for systematically improving care is known as quality improvement. The goal of quality improvement is to standardize processes and structure in order to reduce variation, achieve predictable results, and improve outcomes for patients, healthcare systems, and organizations.

Recommendations

Top healthcare systems in the world

Benefits of accreditation in the healthcare system

Ways of promoting health and wellness in schools

Does Canada have a universal healthcare system?