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Medical Identity Theft – One of the Fastest Growing Crimes

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From keeping up with the latest technologies to providing top-notch patient care, there’s no doubt that healthcare industry professionals have a lot on their plate these days. But, would you imagine that one of their major concerns has nothing to do directly with patient care? Healthcare practices are spending large amounts of time and money keeping their practices compliant with the latest HIPAA regulations, and working hard to prevent a new trend in crime – medical identity theft. While it may not be making mainstream headlines, according to Javelin Strategy and Research, fraud resulting from exposure of health data has increased 112% year over year, from 3% in 2008 to 7% in 2009. To put this stat in perspective, medical identity theft is regarded as the fastest growing form of identity theft in America today and it is estimated that each year 250,000 to 500,000 people become victims of medical identity theft. Just like identity theft, medical identity theft is the act of stealing medical records or medical information of a patient. Both the medical facility and the patient suffer great losses once they are victimized by this type of crime. Imagine this scenario – when you check your mail one day, you find a giant bill from a hospital emergency room, yet you haven’t been to the doctor for anything other than a routine visit in years. So where did this five-figure bill with your name on it come from? The answer -someone stole your information and used it to obtain medical treatment and/or prescription drugs. Unfortunately, medical theft is a growing epidemic and is largely attributable to the large volume of paperwork medical providers are required to keep, in order to maintain 100% HIPAA compliance. Instances of medical identity theft are commonly reported when:

* Patients’ records are accidentally faxed or mailed to the wrong person * Medical records are stolen and misused after being disposed of improperly * Laptops containing confidential information or medical records are lost or stolen * Medical files left unattended in file rooms, on staff desks and in door folders; or unrestricted physical access to sensitive medical files.

While these security breaches might sound relatively innocuous, they are a huge concern. Not only does the medical facility face damage to their reputation and restitution fees, but also HIPAA has enacted legislation over the last year that makes such breaches very expensive – and on a punitive scale. Even worse, the victim may not realize the crime has occurred immediately due to lags in billing cycles so the theft is larger and potentially more costly. As if these scenarios aren’t nightmarish enough, add the fact that someone’s medical records could be tampered with, leading to improper medical care or misdiagnosis. With these costs to both victims and facilities in mind, preventing medical identity theft must be a high priority for medical facilities. It’s especially critical for smaller practices to take precautionary measures because they may have fewer internal protocols to protect patients…and shallower pockets to weather such an event. Ways to reduce medical identity theft include:

A Complete Description Of Medical Transcription

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What is Medical Transcription?

Medical transcription is the process of converting medical audio-recordings created by health care professionals into their text equivalent. The text documents produced from the audio recordings are then used for different purposes medical or legal purposes.

The Medical Transcription Process

The medical transcription process allows the physicians to take fast and efficient dictated recording of a patients’ record, findings, operations and the physicians’ recommendations without the need to manually write them down. This allows the physicians to proceed to more critical tasks directly related to saving lives and not have to worry about proper documentation.

The Medical Transcriptionist

On the side of the medical transcriptionists, they receive the dictated audio-recordings, listen to it and transcribe it. It’s not as easy as it looks because these recordings are heavily abbreviated and filled with medical terms and description of medical analysis and procedure.

Duties of Medical Transcriptionists

The duty of the medical transcriptionist is to transcribe the audio-recordings completely and correctly. A mistake in certain medical terms can lead to negative health effects to the owners of the medical records being transcribed.

So the medical transcriptionist needs proper background on medical terminologies, processes and procedures along with good language skills particularly in grammar and punctuation.

Technology and Medical Transcription

The medical transcription industry benefits a lot from the internet and related technology improvements. This is because data exchange is now much faster between the medical transcriptionists and the consumer of information that includes Doctors, record section of hospitals, insurance agencies and the patients themselves.

In fact the internet is a very efficient platform for medical transcriptionists. Through the internet, medical transcriptionists can receive audio-recordings and send the transcripts of the recordings anywhere in the globe as long as internet connection is available. Doctors on far-flung clinics can have their patients’ audio recording sent to medical transcriptionists in the city and retrieve the information as soon as it’s done without having the need to travel. This allows Doctors more time to focus on their patients and other critical tasks they need to do.

The Medical Transcription Industry Is Growing

Recently, the US labor statistics released a report predicting the further growth of the medical transcription industry. It said that the biggest growth will be experienced by the home-based service providers. This isn’t surprising, considering that technology is making data transmission and retrieval fast and efficient. It only makes sense that in the coming years a lot of medical transcription jobs will be outsourced to work-at-home service providers.

But what is causing the growth? Sad to say that the increase in health care service demand is driving the growth of this allied health service. Remember, the more patients require medical care, the more information will be required to be transcribed. This is the reason why there is an increasing demand for this service.

The professionals in this industry are lucky because it means there will be continuous growth and long term job security in this sector.

Medical Transcription Certificate

Clearly, proper training is required for those who want to start a career as a medical transcriptionist. The proper training must include not only language training but a comprehensive background on medical terminologies, punctuations and procedures and on physiology as well. Most training programs will allow students to take a certification exam at the end of the course, and it’s ideal to take it. However, at present a medical transcription certificate is not an enforced requirement when applying for a job as a medical transcriptionist.

Advantages of Medical Related Technologies

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What are EMRs? EMRs or electronic medical records are technologies widely used in the US today which aims to improve medical practices in different health care providers or institutions, such as in a hospital, by giving them a way to quickly and efficiently store, access, and modify their patients medical records.

Advantages of EMR over the use of Paper-Based Records
EMR was introduced to eliminate the use of paper-based records in different health care institution, which is still a widely used form of recording a patients health and medical information. According to experts, by eliminating the use of paper-based records, EMR also eliminates the usual adverse effects of using pen and paper, such as:

Storage Costs
Patients health and medical records are normally stored in a secured storage facility for 7 years. The cost of storing these records is usually expensive, particularly if stored in a secured storage facility normally found outside a hospital or other health care institutions.

Digital storages, usually in a Hard Disk Drive, normally cost lesser compared to the use of storage facilities. And this digital information produced by an EMR can be storage not only for 7 years, but for more than that time.

Medical Errors
The use of paper-based records also posed a number of problems which caused a number of medical errors. Handwritten paper medical records can be associated with poor legibility, which can contribute to medical errors. Pre-printed forms, the standardization of abbreviations, and standards for penmanship were encouraged to improve reliability of paper medical records.

Electronic records help with the standardization of forms, terminology and abbreviations, and data input. Digitization of forms facilitates the collection of data for epidemiology and clinical studies.

According to a number of studies, the use of EMR software can verall efficiency by 6% per year, and the monthly cost of an EMR may (depending on the cost of the EMR) be offset by the cost of only a few “unnecessary” tests or admissions.

Difference with EHR
EMR and EHR are said to be similar with each other. However, there are several differences that separate both types of electronic records. The EMR can be defined as the legal patient record created in hospitals and ambulatory environments that is the data source for the EHR.

Why Caregivers and Doctors Recommend Medical Alert Systems

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Doctors know the importance of having round-the-clock medical monitoring, especially for high-risk patients. Any serious medical emergency could occur anytime, and because doctors have no accurate way of predicting when it would happen, the only logical way to manage it is by conducting 24-hour monitoring of the patient. However, such kind of monitoring is not particularly cost-effective, especially for patients or seniors who are still able to get around.

Caregivers, on the other hand, could only do so much. Such as attending to the ache and pains of the senior, helping them with bathing, and assisting them with their daily activities, but their attention is limited. Unless were speaking of multiple caregivers who alternate shifts in 24-hour periods, caregivers would go home at the end of the day, leaving the senior on their own.

Obviously, there is a gap in attention, and unfortunately, it is through those gaps that accidents happen. Caregivers and doctors recommend medical alert systems primarily because the service could accomplish things that they could not. Usually, caregivers have other responsibilities and concernsthey also have a life, a family to attend to, and a job that demands their professional attention. Thats why giving all the obligations on the caregivers shoulders is essentially risking eventual neglect of the senior.

These days, medical alerts are advanced and efficient. Back during their early days in the 1970s, medical alerts were bulky, and it was hard for seniors to wear the devices. Worse, the early medical alerts were not waterproof, so they could not be worn in the bathroom. This was a crucial weakness: most accidents involving seniors occur in the bathrooma slip on the tiled floor or the bath tub can be fatal when not immediately attended to.

Fortunately, like other in-demand and important technologies, medical alerts have evolved in terms of sophistication and efficiency. No longer are such devices bulky and a hassle to use. The medical alerts youll find being offered by different providers these days are built and designed for daily durabilitythey are waterproof and can be worn at all times, even when the wearer is in the bathroom. The medical alerts are also small, lightweight and designed compactly enough that it is easy for the wearer to be no longer self-conscious about it.

Using a medical alert system is so simple that even seniors who find trouble understanding technical instructions will be able to quickly use the system. Basically, there are no technical instructionsthe senior only needs to “wear” the device (either as a bracelet or as a necklace pendant) and press the button whenever a need arises. Whether the seniors is plagued witha heart attack, a dizziness spelland theyre alone in the house with the caregiver miles away, they simply press that button and a professionally trained response center responder will speak to them from the loudspeaker of the systems base unit. Other types of medical alerts can also be set to automatically call 911 or the nearest neighbor or medical facility whenever the device “detects” that the senior has an accident in the homea slip on the floor, a fall, or some sudden inactivity that may indicate loss of consciousness.

A medical alert system can enable doctors or caregivers to have a better control of their loved ones situationthe devices and the 24/7 monitoring associated with their use can easily fill in what the common caregiver could not do, which is remain with their aging loved one at all times. After all, a medical alert system, thanks to technological advances in manufacturing and wireless communication, is now very affordable, with a minimal monthly fee of around $20. For the breadth and scope of a medical alert systems service, along with its other perks, wed say that the monthly service fee is indeed a very small price to pay for ensuring the safety of a loved one.

Medical Marijuana Card The Access to an Alternative Health Solution

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Marijuana Treatment has been found out to be an alternative solution to certain health ailments. But, not all can make use of medical marijuana provided if they have the Medical Marijuana License. This identification card known as the Medical Marijuana License will enable the patients to use the medical herbal plant to be a part of their treatments and medications. The Medical Marijuana Card will also serve as their keys to be able to purchase directly into medical marijuana dispensaries. Patients who need to buy Marijuana should have in hand the Medical Marijuana Card. This allows the government to make sure that proper utilization of Marijuana Treatment is done and practiced.

Certain processes are followed by the patients who need to use the Marijuana Treatment. Patients who are suffering from health ailments that are qualified are given their Medical Marijuana Card. This card will become their Medical Marijuana License. Patients need to have this license as it will serve as their legal protection. With the help of the Medical Marijuana Card, patients can also grow their own herbal plant. The freedom to cultivate their own herbal plant will really aid in the recovery of the patients with chronic disorders as they will have unlimited access to the herbal plant.

Marijuana Treatment can help cure patients health disorders like anxiety, arthritis, HIV/AIDS, cancer, migraine headaches, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, fibromyalgia, sleep apnea, anorexia and other ailments that are unremitting. So, if youre loved ones are experiencing any of these health disorders, you can go to a medical doctor to ask for assistance in terms of getting a Medical Marijuana Card. After getting a recommendation or written approval from a registered doctor, then, the patient can get access to medical marijuana by using the Medical Marijuana License. The legalization of medical marijuana helps a lot of people who dreamed of being healed. However, marijuana laws should be followed by the patients to make sure that the usage of medical marijuana will not lead to drug dependence. Medical marijuana as a treatment is very useful to many patients as it lessens or even removes the pain of their ailments.

It is good to know that there is still a possible way to cure health problems of many individuals Marijuana Treatment has been very influential to a lot of patients who are benefited by the herbal plant. Patients will no longer have a hard time checking for the best place or website to gain access to the medical plant. MMJ Card Finder makes it easier for many patients to obtain a Medical Marijuana License. Aside from this, the website provides all the things that people should consider in getting a medical card. With the help of the website, people will not have a hard time registering to obtain their license. We will help you throughout the application as we also have the best medical team that will surely provide you with the best recommendation and diagnosis of your condition. We aim to help save many lives of patients suffering from chronic disorders. And we want to become a part of your recovery.