Developing Strategies to Address Informed Consent Challenges in Pediatric Dentistry

Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM

Informed consent plays a crucial role in patients' rights to autonomy and to make educated decisions about their healthcare. The right to consent to treatment or refuse treatment generally applies to competent adults. When patients are children, the process of informed consent is slightly different, but no less important.

Contract Administration in Healthcare Practices: Managing the Moving Parts

Contract administration and management in healthcare practices can be daunting tasks. Healthcare providers often are involved in numerous contractual agreements, including arrangements with managed care organizations, office and equipment supply vendors, technology systems vendors, landlords, collection agencies, answering services, insurance carriers, partners, employees, and employee benefits providers. Contracts also might be in place for other services, such as serving as a training site for students or fulfilling a medical director role for a long-term care facility.

Go Phish: Strategies for Proactively Preventing Phishing Attacks

Laura M. Cascella, MA, CPHRM

Cybersecurity and cyberattacks have been a persistent and escalating concern in healthcare with the advancement of electronic health records, digital data, medical devices, personal electronic devices, cloud technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI). As technology has evolved, so too have the activities and sophistication of cyber criminals.

Case Study: Insufficient Imaging and Poor Communication Complicate Tooth Extraction

Case Details

The patient was a female who had limited English proficiency (LEP). She saw Dr. B, an associate in a busy general dental practice, for extraction of tooth number 32. A dental assistant took a periapical X-ray that depicted most of the root but missed the last few millimeters of the apex. The tooth was partially impacted, accessible to the oral cavity, and possessed fused conical roots.

Understanding Vicarious Liability and Implementing Strategies to Reduce Risks

Jeanne E. Mapes, JD, CPCU, CPHRM

Healthcare providers who employ staff members need to be cognizant of the legal concept of vicarious liability. Vicarious liability arose out of the common law theory of respondeat superior, “a legal doctrine . . . that holds an employer or principal legally responsible for the wrongful acts of an employee or agent, if such acts occur within the scope of the employment or agency.” ¹

Infection Prevention and Control Strategies for Managing Reusable Medical Instruments and Devices in Senior Care Organizations

Senior care organizations, like other healthcare facilities, must make deliberate and coordinated efforts to prevent and control infectious diseases and outbreaks. The vulnerability of the population that these organizations serve makes the need to implement infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies even more pronounced. Senior care residents often are at heightened risk for infections as a result of declining health, comorbidities, frequent interactions with caregivers, open wounds, use of medical devices, and other factors.¹

Using Pain Management Agreements as a Tool to Promote Patient Adherence to Treatment

Patients who suffer from chronic pain can be challenging to successfully treat. In addition to finding the optimal course of treatment, issues related to patients adhering to treatment plans can be problematic. Thus, healthcare providers who prescribe pain medications might want to consider using pain management agreements to set standards and expectations related to care and treatment and to reinforce the importance of following treatment regimens.

Strategies to Prevent Maternal Morbidity and Mortality

An increasing number of pregnant women in the United States have chronic health conditions — such as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic heart disease — that put them at higher risk for pregnancy complications. When combined with hemorrhage, cardiovascular disease, sepsis, and other health problems, these conditions have been responsible for a large number of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States.