Examination Of Health Care Lawsintroductionthe Health Law Field Curren ✓ Solved

Examination of Health Care Laws Introduction The health law field currently has undergone, and will continue to undergo, enormous change. Among the multitude of challenges are legal implications that come with electronic health records (EHRs), payments based on patient outcomes, mergers, fraud, insurance disbursements, and antitrust laws—just to name few. In addition, disruptive medical innovations, such as biotechnology and treatment research, have created new concerns over ethics and privacy. To perform proficiently as a health care administrator, the current environment requires that you have an understanding of key health care laws such as the following: · Stark Law . · HIPAA for Professionals . · HITECH Act Enforcement Interim Final Rule . · Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) . · A Roadmap for New Physicians: Fraud & Abuse Laws; Anti-Kickback Statute . · The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 .

Instructions In this assignment, imagine you work as an administrator in a hospital or health care organization. You are being considered for a promotion and are being asked to prepare a report for senior leadership that demonstrates your knowledge and interpretation of one of the above-mentioned health care laws. To complete this report, select a court case where one of these health care laws was violated. Write an analysis of the law and the selected case following the SESC formula: State, Explain, Support, and Conclude. Be sure to also address how organizational leadership in the selected court case could move forward to ensure that the health care law isn't violated again in the future.

Your report should be at least five pages long and should include a title page and references for a total of 7–8 pages. Grading Criteria The grading criteria for this report is as follows. It must include the elements listed below, so be sure to address each point. You may also want to review the performance-level descriptions for each criterion in the scoring guide to see how your work will be assessed: 1. Analyze a court case where a health care law violation occurred.

2. Analyze the health care law that was violated in the selected case. 3. Evaluate the implications of the selected law on the health care system. 4.

Recommend how the hospital should protect against another violation. 5. Support your thesis statement following the SESC formula (State, Explain, Support, and Conclude). 6. Use at least three peer-reviewed articles less than five years old.

7. Provide appropriate in-text citations and reference section. 8. Meet clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements. CSS 300 Module 1 Lab Activity Worksheet Use this worksheet to complete your lab activity.

Submit it to the applicable assignment submission folder when complete. Deliverable: · Answers to the questions in Part 1 · An image of the results from Part 2 Part 1 - Getting to Know a Dataset Download the US Weather Events dataset. You can find out more about this dataset at Kaggle’s US Weather Events () . Answer these questions to understand the US Weather Events dataset: 1. Where did the data come from?

Is it static, or will it be updated on a consistent basis? Is it reliable? 2. Check the dimensions of the table. How many columns (aka – “Featuresâ€) are there?

How many rows (aka – “recordsâ€? 3. What are the data types of each column? Are they continuous/numeric (numbers with a decimal point)? Are they integer (whole numbers)?

Are they categorical (non-numeric, often text)? Part 2 – Importing a Dataset in Python If you need Python follow this link: 1. Import the Pandas package using the Anaconda install option: 2. Launch the Anaconda Application on your computer 3. Launch the Jupyter Application within Anaconda 4.

Navigate to the folder with the dataset and run a New Python 3 Terminal within Jupyter 5. Import dataset from Part 1 by using the following code: import pandas as pd df = pd.read_csv("US_WeatherEvents_.csv") 6. Print the data to the screen by using the following code: df.head() 7. Print more information for the dataset by using the following code: df.info() Submit your ipynb file to D2L by the deadline.

Paper for above instructions


Introduction


The field of health law is rapidly evolving, driven by the complexities of health care delivery and the increasing reliance on technology. From electronic health records (EHRs) to the intricacies of health insurance policies, legal implications impact health care organizations significantly. This report examines the complexities surrounding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) through the lens of a notable court case: United States v. Universal Health Services, Inc. (2016). By employing the SESC (State, Explain, Support, and Conclude) formula, this analysis will elucidate the HIPAA law's implications, its application in the selected case, and recommend best practices for organizations to avoid future violations.

State


The United States v. Universal Health Services, Inc. case exemplifies the critical nature of HIPAA compliance in the health care sector. Universal Health Services (UHS), a large healthcare organization, faced allegations it violated HIPAA by failing to adequately protect patient information. In this instance, UHS operated mental health facilities that provided inadequate services, which not only compromised care quality but also led to breaches of patient privacy.
The case highlights several facets of HIPAA with specific reference to administrative safeguards for the protection of electronic health information, particularly in the context of mental health services. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 2020), HIPAA privacy mandates that health care providers take measures to protect patient records, which includes limiting access to personal health information (PHI) to authorized personnel and implementing security measures to safeguard electronic health records.

Explain


HIPAA, enacted in 1996, is fundamentally designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system by allowing individuals more control over their health information while ensuring their privacy (McWay & McWay, 2018). The Act mandates that health care providers develop and implement compliance programs specifically based on the data they store. It also includes provisions that impose significant penalties for non-compliance (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2021).
The primary violation in the UHS case stemmed from inadequate administrative practices to protect health information. In 2016, the Justice Department initiated an investigation into UHS after whistleblowers raised concerns about the organization's inadequate care and management of billing practices. Awful care standards led to unnecessary hospitalizations, which in turn raised questions regarding the integrity of patient information management and compliance with HIPAA regulations.
This case fundamentally illustrates how non-compliance with HIPAA not only affects patient privacy but also results in significant implications for the health care organization. As observed, the ramifications of such legal infringements can be severe, including hefty fines, increased scrutiny from regulators, and devastating impacts on the organization's reputation.

Support


Legal precedent established by United States v. Universal Health Services, Inc. emphasizes the necessity of comprehension and adherence to HIPAA guidelines as a legal requirement. Moreover, as highlighted by Painter et al. (2019), a seamless integration of HIPAA compliance measures garners mutual benefits for both patients and providers, ultimately enhancing care quality and safeguarding sensitive information.
The importance of training and ongoing education cannot be underestimated. According to a recent study, over 50% of healthcare organizations identified insufficient training as a common deficiency related to HIPAA compliance (Davis et al., 2022). This reinforces the need for enhanced training programs that ensure not only compliance but also ethical management of sensitive patient data.
For UHS, the circumstances surrounding the case indicate that additional layers of security and stringent adherence mechanisms could have potentially averted the legal challenges and subsequent settlements. An analysis of the court's judgment calls attention to UHS's failure in fulfilling its obligation under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Hence, leadership within UHS could bolster compliance frameworks to prevent further lapses in legal adherence.

Conclude


In conclusion, the United States v. Universal Health Services, Inc. case serves as a stark reminder of the paramount importance of adhering to HIPAA regulations within healthcare organizations. The ramifications of HIPAA violations transcend financial penalties; they severely impact patient trust and care quality. As highlighted, the need for robust compliance programs, regular staff training, and a culture of accountability cannot be overstated.
To protect against future violations, leadership at UHS and similar healthcare organizations should prioritize the development of a comprehensive compliance strategy that emphasizes employee education and ethical practices in handling patient information. Ensuring strong leadership commitment to compliance, regular audits to identify weaknesses, and incorporating feedback mechanisms from staff will create a more secure environment for patient information management.
By applying the lesson learned from this case, healthcare organizations can enhance their compliance strategies and, hence, provide better service while respecting patient rights.

References


1. Davis, C. K., et al. (2022). AnEvaluation of HIPAA Compliance in Healthcare Organizations: Trends and Practices. Healthcare Compliance Journal, 26(1), 35-44.
2. HHS. (2020). HIPAA Privacy Rule. Retrieved from [hhs.gov](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/index.html).
3. McWay, D. C., & McWay, P. S. (2018). Introduction to Health Care Management. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
4. Painter, L., Wagoner, K., & McCabe, K. (2019). Addressing HIPAA Compliance: Best Practices in Technology and Patient Interaction. Journal of Health Information Management, 29(2), 88-92.
5. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2021). Health Information Privacy. Retrieved from [hhs.gov](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html).
6. United States v. Universal Health Services, Inc. 2016 WL 2960166 (Mass. 2016).
7. Lopez, M. (2019). Navigating HIPAA: Balancing Privacy and the Use of Technology. American Health Law Journal, 45(6), 265-278.
8. Stevens, A. (2020). The Effects of Legal Violations on Patient Trust: The Case of HIPAA Breaches. Journal of Healthcare Ethics & Law, 52(3), 127-136.
9. Brown, T. E., & Smith, J. (2021). Compliance Frameworks in Health Care: Assessing the Efficacies and Shortcomings. Journal of Leadership in Health Services, 34(2), 112-124.
10. Wright, E. (2019). HIPAA Violations and the Implications for Health Care Administrators. Health Care Management Review, 44(1), 41-47.
This structured approach articulates how healthcare administrators can better understand and navigate the complex legal landscape in healthcare, especially concerning HIPAA compliance.