This case study was made available to MIEC through our partnership with CRICO. It was originally written by Margaret Janes, JD,RN, CRICO. Description Shoulder injury after flu vaccine administration. Key Lessons Develop annual competencies to ensure that staff are up to date on current practice Identify a point person for the patient to contact following unexpected events Clinical Sequence A 43-year-old, otherwise healthy, patient received their annual flu vaccine at their primary care physician’s office. The flu vaccine was administered by a licensed practical nurse (LPN) via right deltoid muscle injection. The patient had some initial tenderness at the injection...
2026 HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) – Required Updates
By February 16, 2026, all HIPAA-covered entities, including physician practices, clinics, and hospitals, must update their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) to reflect federal rule changes that went into effect last year but which were partially impacted by a subsequent court ruling. Background The HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy (Final Rule) was published by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in April 2024, as a response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in 2022 that allowed states to legally prohibit abortion. The Final Rule addressed public concern about protected health information (PHI)...
Last year, numerous pieces of legislation impacting physicians were signed into law in California. The following new health laws are particularly relevant to physician practices and medical professional liability. This alert is based in part on information obtained from the California Medical Association. All laws are effective January 1, 2026, unless otherwise noted. Advanced practice providers: AB 1501 Updates and clarifies various statutory provisions governing physician assistants (PAs), supervising physicians, and podiatrists. These changes impact administrative processes, modify licensing, renewal, and application fees for PAs and podiatrists, and align licensing processes and terminology between the associated professional licensing agencies. The key...
This case study was made available to MIEC through our partnership with CRICO. It was originally written by Jessica Bradley, MPH, CRICO. Description A 52-year-old man was diagnosed with prostate cancer three years after a panel of lab results showed an elevated PSA that the patient never saw and his PCP inadequately followed. Key Lessons A system to track complete physical examinations at regular intervals allows the provider to thoroughly assess the patient's history and counsel for recommended cancer screenings. PSA testing should not be automatic. A successful process for working up abnormal lab results includes: communication of results to...
DEA Extends Telemedicine Prescribing Flexibilities Through 2026
Just before the clock struck midnight on the New Year, the DEA issued a long-awaited formal statement clarifying the federal rules for prescribing controlled substances through telemedicine in the coming year. Since May 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has repeatedly extended the COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances, which had been set to expire at the end of the federal COVID Public Health Emergency (PHE). The flexibilities affected an important requirement of The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, which requires prescribers to conduct an in-person examination (i.e. in a medical office) to evaluate each...