DePuy Synthes recently agreed to pay $9.75 million to settle allegations that it paid kickbacks to healthcare providers committing fraud violations. The U.S. Department of Justice accused the company of violating the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to physicians and hospitals in exchange for using their products. DePuy Synthes enticed healthcare providers to use their products by providing them with free items. US Efforts to Crack Down on Fraud Violations Kickbacks are illegal under the False Claims Act because they can lead to overuse or misuse of medical products, harming patients and ..read more

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) became law in 1996. It establishes a set of national standards to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ health information. The law applies to covered entities. These include healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses, as well as their business associates. Business associates provide key services to covered entities and must comply with regulations or risk facing fines. What are HIPAA Business Associates? Business associates are individuals or entities that perform services on behalf of covered en ..read more

In March 2023, researchers from Rockefeller University made a significant breakthrough in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They cured a New York woman of HIV using a new treatment method. This method modified her immune cells to resist the virus through gene therapy. This development offers hope for millions of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. This is a major breakthrough in healthcare worldwide. The Breakthrough in HIV Treatment The treatment was conducted as part of a clinical trial. It involved removing immune cells from the patient’s blood, modifying them to resist HIV using the CRISPR ge ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has put immense pressure on the healthcare system, creating a shortage of healthcare workers and supplies. As a result, hospitals have been struggling to manage the surge in patients, leading to delays in treatments, long wait times, and compromised patient care. However, hospitals are deploying a variety of tactics to battle shortages in staffing and supply chains. Staffing Shortages The shortage of healthcare workers is not a new problem, but the pandemic has amplified it to unprecedented levels. With the surge in COVID-19 cases, healthcare workers have been working lon ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has put immense pressure on the healthcare system, creating a shortage of healthcare workers and supplies. As a result, hospitals have been struggling to manage the surge in patients, leading to delays in treatments, long wait times, and compromised patient care. However, hospitals are deploying a variety of tactics to battle shortages in staffing and supply chains. Staffing Shortages The shortage of healthcare workers is not a new problem, but the pandemic has amplified it to unprecedented levels. With the surge in COVID-19 cases, healthcare workers have been working lon ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many industries to adapt to remote work, and the healthcare sector is no exception. In a recent article, Forbes Business Council member Stephanie Abbati highlights the benefits of embracing telehealth. Advantages of Remote Work One of the main advantages of remote work in healthcare is increased access to care. Patients who live in remote or underserved areas may find it difficult to access healthcare services in person. Telemedicine, which allows doctors to provide virtual consultations and diagnose patients remotely, can help bridge this gap. Telehealth also ..read more

Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite. Moreover, it ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers, and visitors.   Physical assaults and threatening or violent behavior are growing problems in the workplace. The workplace may be any location, either permanent or temporary, where an employee performs any work-related duty. Likewise, the prevention of dangerous workplace situations has ..read more

Sexual harassment in the medical field occurs at all levels including executives, patients, and everyone in between. The #MeToo movement continues to raise awareness of harassment, including in the healthcare field, where many are taking action against abusive organizations and individuals. Individuals are making connections and empowering change throughout the industry. Rise in Cases of Sexual Harassment There were 4,738 cases of improper sexual conduct reported from 2005-2015. This is the third most reported during that time frame for any field of work. Harassment in the healthcare field usu ..read more

After the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a greater importance in implementing proper infection control protocols, such as identifying cases of infections and supplying proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to emergency medical workers. All medical facilities must establish and follow proper infection control guidelines due to the high potential of exposure to infectious materials and patients that healthcare personnel face.  Emergency medical workers also must implement and follow and infection control plan.  Moreover, the following Infection Control Training for Emergency ..read more

OSHA (Occupation Safety and Health Administration) views workplace violence as a major occupational risk. In response to this risk, OSHA may install additional safety standards to combat workplace violence. Over the last decade, the number of workplace violence instances has grown significantly. These instances have continued to increase as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA has prioritized protecting healthcare staff and patients. Rational for Potential New OSHA Standard OHSA is without standards relating to workplace violence. Despite this, OSHA prioritizes the safety of healthcare prof ..read more