Knowledge Library

National Patient Safety Awareness Week

This week (March 9th through 15th) is National Patient Safety Awareness Week.  MIEC is dedicated to raising awareness about patient safety and encouraging our members to prioritize safety in all aspects of care. MIEC’s Knowledge Library offers a wealth of information to support patient safety and risk management, including Speak up for Patient Safety, which discusses the importance of fostering a culture of safety and creating high-reliability care environments.  Other useful resources in the Knowledge Library include legal and regulatory updates, case studies, and practice management recommendations. The American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) plays a pivotal role in...

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2025 New Law Alert: California

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, 2025, unless otherwise noted. New California Healthcare laws by topic: Allied Health Professionals: SB 1451 – Professions and vocations Prohibits anyone other than a licensed physician and surgeon from using “doctor,” “physician,” “Dr.,” “M.D.,” “D.O.,” or any other terms or letters implying the person is a physician, in a health care setting....

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The Case for Comprehensive Burnout Solutions

This resource was made available to MIEC through our partnership with Candello. It was written by Hannah Tremont, MPH Nearly half of health care workers in the U.S. experience burnout, and the post-pandemic exodus from the field has only amplified the strain on the remaining workforce. Given this reality and the links between health care worker well-being and patient safety, it is crucial to understand the implications of burnout on patient outcomes and the potential avenues for comprehensive solutions. A commentary published in the American Journal of Medicine, co-authored by Daniel Shapiro, PhD, Senior Partner and Executive Director of the...

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Hospital and Physician Requirements under EMTALA

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) of 1986 is a federal law aimed at ensuring public access to emergency medical services regardless of a patient's ability to pay for those services.  The primary intent of EMTALA is to prevent instances of "patient dumping," in which hospitals refuse to treat uninsured patients or transfer them to other facilities without providing adequate medical evaluation and care. EMTALA imposes several requirements on Medicare-participating hospitals that offer emergency services, and physicians with staff privileges at those hospitals may also have individual obligations under EMTALA. Hospital Requirements When a patient arrives at a...

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HIPAA Reproductive Health Rule

As of December 23, 2024, healthcare providers must comply with a new HIPAA rule that applies to certain requests for reproductive health information. Briefly, 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 addresses public concern about protected health information (PHI) being shared with state agencies, law enforcement, and other authorities for the investigation or...

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