Preventing Medical ID Theft - Are You at Risk of Becoming a Victim?

By Linda K. Vincent

Preventing medical ID theft has become a hot topic as Americans increasingly hear about the safety of their private medical records as more medical breeches continue to be discovered. Medical ID theft happens when a person uses someone's identity to obtain medical services or steal money by falsifying claims for medical services. Identity thieves use a person's Social Security number, insurance information, or other forms of identification to commit the medical ID theft.
Medical ID theft can have a devastating effect on victims, causing collections issues, credit problems, and even bankruptcy. But that's not all. The type of medical treatment obtained by the identity thief can also prevent the victim from getting medical insurance or medical services themselves because, as far as the insurance company is concerned, the victim now has a "pre-existing" condition.
According to the FTC, medical ID theft accounts for three percent of all ID theft cases, or approximately 250,000 cases per year. Unfortunately, these medical ID theft statistics are expected to grow, especially with the shift to electronic medical records.
Preventing Medical ID Theft: The Unemployed and Uninsured
Due to their difficult circumstances, some groups are at a higher risk for becoming identity thieves. The unemployed and uninsured may use another person's identity because of a belief that it's the only way they can receive quality medical care. Since they're unemployed, they don't have access to an employer's healthcare benefits, and they can't afford to buy medical insurance because they don't have a job. It's a vicious cycle, and it can make good people do bad things.
Preventing Medical ID Theft: Illegal Immigration
Illegal immigration also poses a serious threat as medical ID theft continues to rise. When an illegal immigrant steals private information such as an individual's Social Security number, he or she can obtain identification and numerous services reserved for legal residents. If precautions aren't taken to prevent medical ID theft, an illegal immigrant can get a passport, driver's license, bank account, credit card, loan, mortgage, insurance, medical treatment, and many other services.
Preventing Medical ID Theft in Five Steps
Begin preventing medical ID theft by following these five easy steps:
1. Have your Social Security number removed from your insurance records. If your Social Security number is currently on your insurance card, don't carry your card with you. Keep it in a safe place and only carry a photocopy with all but the last four digits of your Social Security number blacked out.
2. Obtain copies of your credit reports, insurance claims, and medical records. Lock them in a safe or safety deposit box, or place them on a CD or flash drive.
3. Next, regularly review your credit reports, insurance claims, and medical records for suspicious entries, such as a medical treatment that was never performed on you.
4. Immediately address disputes on your explanation of benefits, bills for medical services you never received, or any other charges that could be sent to collections and damage your credit. These need to be investigated and removed from your records.
5. Don't leave a paper trail. Destroying sensitive information you no longer need is another critical step in preventing medical ID theft, so shred claims that are more than seven years old. Also, ask if your provider's office performs background checks employees to prevent medical ID theft rings and stolen medical information.
Preventing medical ID theft takes vigilance. Medical ID thieves are doing everything to stay one step ahead of you and the authorities, so use medical ID theft prevention strategies to protect your private information.

Linda Vincent, R.N., P.I., is an identity theft and healthcare fraud prevention expert specializing in medical consulting and investigations. She teaches corporations, professional practices, and consumers how to stop identity theft and healthcare fraud.
Start protecting your identity today by calling The Identity Advocate at 310.831.4400 or emailing info@theidentityadvocate.com. Visit http://www.theidentityadvocate.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_K._Vincent

Medical Transcription Offers Real Typing Jobs

By Leva Duell

Medical transcription jobs from home provide legitimate typing jobs. Because of the aging population, the need for health care services has increased. This in turn has increased the need for medical transcriptionists and there is a lot of work available in this field.
Medical transcription jobs includes working for individual doctors at physician's offices, hospitals, and a variety of healthcare facilities, insurance companies, legal offices, research centers, laboratories, government medical facilities, and other organizations. However, you are not restricted to working in an office, and many transcriptionists work from home either as freelancers or employees.
When freelancing or working from home, you can charge slightly higher fees than medical transcriptionists working in an office because clients do not have to pay employee benefits. They set their own hours and can choose to work part time or full time.
The person who transcribes the dictation is called a medical transcriptionist, typists, medical word processors and medical secretaries. They use a transcription machine and a word processing program to transcribe dictation into a typed document. When transcribing digital recordings, they use a specialized foot pedal and software.
What kind of work will you do as a medical transcriptionist? You simply transcribe or type dictated information into a word processing program.
The health professional dictates the patient information into a recorder or through a phone dictation system. Medical transcriptionists transcribe this information into a typed document. The transcribed documents are sent back to the dictator as a digital file or hard copy for verification and approval and they become part of a patient's permanent medical record.
What skills do you need? You need to be familiar with many medical specialties and must be able to produce accurate transcription. The finished transcription work or transcribed documents provide legal documentation of patient care. They are needed for insurance reimbursement, litigation and scientific research.
To get medical transcription jobs, you will need to be proficient with medical terminology and you may need to have formal medical transcription training. As health records contain patients' personal information and medical information, transcriptionists must keep all information confidential.
How do you start getting medical transcription work from home?
You can receive and send transcription work through the Internet, making it possible to work from any location. Many medical transcriptionists can work from home either as independent contractors or home-based employees.
Client for transcription from home jobs may include medical professionals, physicians, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and insurance companies. It may be easier to start by working for larger medical transcription service offices. Some individual transcriptionists may be open to helping you get started.
You may be able to find clients advertising, through the Internet and online job sites and freelance sites.
If you want to do transcription work from home as an employee, you are more likely to get work from home from an employer you have worked for in an office previously.
If you're looking for legitimate typing work from home, consider medical transcription. It's one of the best home typing jobs from home and there is plenty of work available.

Medical transcription provides legitimate typing work. Get more information about providing medical transcription from home at http://www.startasecretarialbusiness.com/medical-transcription-home.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leva_Duell

Web Based Electronic Medical Records & Medical Practice Management System

By Tom Gary

A web based Electronic Medical Records (EMR) & Medical practice Management system.
The software intended to be develop is an online web based Medical Practice Management system intended to computerize the clinic and provide a seam less integration of its various processes.
The application should facilitate input, storage, transfer and retrieval of medical information within a practice and enables interfacing with other data providers outside the practice.
The application aims to expedite record keeping processes and enable doctors to retrieve and input Patient Data, Medical Data, Analysis Reports etc., anywhere and anytime from a PC. Also the application should provide electronic capabilities for routine tasks related to clinical data( Such as Patient Registration, Search for Patient Transcription, imaging, Messaging and Prescription writing, Staging of Cancer, Suggestion of Relevant Regimens based upon Staging, as well as a wireless point-of-care solution for Doctors in the examination room.
EMR Workflow
Modules Overview:
1. Patient Registration and Appointment Scheduling
Patient will be registered with the system through a Nurse/ front office / doctor.
2. Patient Demographics
Capture all the patient preliminary details, such as
o Personal Information
o Correspondence details
o History of the Patient
o Social Background
o Insurance Details
o Family History
o Family Medical History
o Allergies and Operations
o Education details
3. Patient Chart
Patient chart includes complaints, diagnosis, vitals, prescribed tests, current medications, drug allergies, past surgeries and clinical reminders details will be displayed. Also patient name, sex, age, date of last visit and patient related menu will be displayed. A patient related menu option includes chart, subjective, plan, order, assessment, others, super bill and mark as seen.
4. Physical Examination
List of items for a New Physical Exam will be displayed and by default General details form will be displayed for capturing the details. New Physical Exam can be made for a patient includes general details, eyes, ears, etc details list will be displayed.
5. Review of System
If any Clinical Trials information available, the doctor refers to it including the drug information Charts, Lab Reports, Chemo Order generation, Clinical Trials Info.
Review all the previous hospitalization, reports before starting the treatment.
6. Diagnosis, Staging and Chemotherapy
The doctor uses the proposed software from the point where he diagnoses the patient and determines the cancer type. The software will be used from then onwards as under:
o ICD Code Master
o Diagnosis Process based on ICD
o Staging
o Stage Grouping
o Medicine for Chemotherapy
o Chemo Order Generation
o Flow Sheet for Chemo Cycle
Based on all the above inputs the doctor diagnoses the patient and understands the problem. This leads to determining the Cancer Stage.
In case there has been and Clinical Trials information the doctor refers to it including the drug information Charts, Lab Reports, Chemo Order generation, Clinical Trials Info. Based on all this information the doctor writes a prescription and doctor's note and enter the relevant details with the charge capture form.
In case the patient requires Chemotherapy the doctor schedules the next appointment for him with a nurse and the relevant procedures have to be followed.
7. E-Prescription
Displays all previous prescriptions (if exists) with date and edit links for a particular patient. If no prescription exists, i.e., the patient is a new patient doctor will create a new prescription.
8. Doctor Notes
Doctor can able to enter notes regarding patient, after physical testing and diagnosis. And a doctor/nurse can also view the list of all doctor notes created for a patient
9. Nurses Notes
List of regimens prescribed to a patient by the doctor will be displayed to a nurse to select regimen for capturing other details. Nurses can provide other treatment apart from regimen treatment by phone.
The nurse initiates the chemotherapy process and maintains a detail of medication and IV access for the patient. This process ends with Charge Capture based on ICD Codes and subsequent Scheduling for next appointment.
o Nurse will get the relevant patient chart.
o Views the Chemo Schedule and description.
o Updates the chemo order sheet and creates the nurses notes.
o Closes the 'chemo day' after the chemo has been completed.
o Views the nurse's report/notes.
o Closes the 'Chemo' after all the chemo days have been closed
10. Laboratory Management
This is used to capture tests information under special diagnosis. If tests are already prescribed for a patient by a doctor, then page will be displayed with existing data and can be captured other new tests otherwise new page will be displayed for input, new prescribed tests will be captured and shown back with captured data.
11. Others
o Demo Project Codes
o Other Scanned Documents
o Spell checker
o Audit Trail
o Phone Call board
12. Billing Management
The software shall not deal with the billing module and if required shall only have an integration with the existing Billing Management System
13. Reports
o Patient Registrations
o Patient Visits
o Diagnosis-Location
o Diagnosis-Cancer
o Doctor Visits
The above reports will be presented in a graphical representation (Bar and pie chart) for the respective data captured in the application.
Key Features:
1) Patient Registration & Appointment Scheduling
2) Patient Demographics
3) Patient Chart
4) Physical Examination
5) Review Of Systems
6) MRI
7) HPI
8) Diagnosis, Cancer Staging and Chemotherapy
9) E-Prescription
10) Doctor Notes
11) Nurses Notes
12) Laboratory Management
13) Others
14) Billing Management
15) Reports
16) Admin Module
1) Patient Registration & Appointment Scheduling:
Patient registration can be done in two ways:
1. Through Appointment Scheduling
2. Registration by visit.
Patient will be registered with the system through a Nurse/ front office / doctor. If a patient booked an appointment on a particular date, the front office will have a provision to track the patient physical arrival status.
2) Patient Demographics
Capture all the patient preliminary details, such as
The sub functionalities of this feature are as follows:
a. Personal details
b. Insurance Details
c. Social history details.
d. Medical history details.
e. Family history details.
f. Family medical history details.
g. Surgical history details.
h. Hospitalization details.
i. Correspondence details.
j. Chief complaint(s) details.
k. Drug allergies details.
l. Current medication(s) details.
m. Discontinued medication(s) details.
n. Vitals details will be captured and can update date wise.
o. Women Only - Women related information will be captured (like Number of
Pregnancies and Number of Children born etc). This is exclusively for women only.
p. HIPAA - A provision to upload HIPAA related docs.
Update existing details.
3) Patient Chart
Patient chart includes complaints, diagnosis, vitals, prescribed tests, current medications, drug allergies, past surgeries and clinical reminders details will be displayed. Also patient name, sex, age, date of last visit and patient related menu will be displayed. A patient related menu option includes chart, subjective, plan, order, assessment, others, super bill and mark as seen.
a. Display Patient Chart
b. Display, Add and Modify Complaints details
c. Display, Add and Modify Diagnosis details
d. Display, Add and Modify Vitals details
e. Display, Add and Modify Prescribed Tests details
f. Display, Add and Modify Current Medications details
g. Display, Add and Modify Drug Allergies details
h. Displaying different details of a patient as a report
i. Display, Add and Modify Past Surgeries details
j. Display, Add and Modify Clinical Reminders details
k. Display, Add and Modify Flow sheet details
l. Display, Add and Modify Template for referral note details
m. Display, Add and Modify Template for letter details
n. Display, Add and Modify Tumor Marker details
o. Display, Add and Modify PT/INR details
p. Display, Add and Modify Diagnostic test details
4) Physical Examination
List of items for a New Physical Exam will be displayed and by default General details form will be displayed for capturing the details. New Physical Exam can be made for a patient includes general details, eyes, ears, etc details list will be displayed. . Physical Exam Gen ID will be generated.
i. The sub functionalities of this feature are:
a. General details
b. Central Line details
c. Skin details
d. Head and Face details
e. Eyes details
f. Ears details
g. Nose and Nasopharynx details
h. Neck details
i. Lymph Nodes details
j. Musculoskeletal Details
k. Genitalia
l. Rectal
m. Breast
n. Cardiovascular details
o. Respiratory details
p. Abdomen details
q. Extremities details
r. Neurological details
ii. Display list of report(s) created for a particular patient date wise
iii. Display individual report.
iv. Update existing report details.
v. Delete existing report(s) details.
5) Review of System
i. Capture the following details
a. General details
b. Eyes details
c. Cardiovascular details
d. Genitourinary details
e. Musculoskeletal details
f. Skin details
g. Psychiatric details
h. Endocrine details
i. Respiratory details
j. Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat details
k. Gastrointestinal details
l. Breasts details
m. Neurological details
n. Hematological/Lymphatic details
o. Chest Details
ii. Display list of report(s) created for a particular patient date wise
iii. Display individual report.
iv. Update existing report details.
iv. Delete existing report(s) details.
6) MRI Details
i. Capture MRI details
ii. Display list of report(s) created for a particular patient date wise
iii. Display individual report.
iv. Update existing report details.
iv. Delete existing report(s) details.
7) HPI
a. General HPI or HPI details and can view past HPI details date wise.
b. Lung Cancer HPI details.
c. Colon HPI details.
d. Breast HPI details.
8) Diagnosis, Cancer Staging and Chemotherapy
The doctor uses the proposed software from the point where he diagnoses the patient and determines the cancer type. The software will be used from then onwards as under:
o ICD Code Master
o Diagnosis Process based on ICD
o Staging
o Stage Grouping
o Medicine for Chemotherapy
o Chemo Order Generation
o Flow Sheet for Chemo Cycle
Based on all the above inputs the doctor diagnoses the patient and understands the problem. This leads to determining the Cancer Stage.
In case there has been any Clinical Trials information the doctor refers to it including the drug information Charts, Lab Reports, Chemo Order generation, Clinical Trials Info. Based on all this information the doctor writes a prescription and doctor's note and enter the relevant details with the charge capture form.
In case the patient requires Chemotherapy the doctor schedules the next appointment for him with a nurse and the relevant procedures have to be followed.
a. Doctors can view diagnosis report.
b. Doctors can create diagnosis by selecting ICD Code and Disease Name.
c. Capture ICD Code, histology details, histological grade and residual tumor
grade details.
d. Define the stage and capture stage details.
e. Doctors can see all the existing regimens.
f. Doctors can create blank regimen or related regimens with cancer type or
ICD Code and capture the details of regimen.
9) E-Prescription
Displays all previous prescriptions (if exists) with date and edit links for a particular patient. If no prescription exists, i.e., the doctor will create a new prescription.
a. Doctors can maintain common prescription list.
b. Doctors can maintain common drug(s) list.
c. Doctor can generate a new prescription or generate prescription with an
existing common prescription.
d. Doctor can update or delete an existing prescription(s) for a particular patient.
e. Doctor can have a preview, print and fax the entire prescription.
f. Doctor will have glance of chief complaints, cancer type, stage and current
medication(s) and discontinued medication(s) details at the time of giving a
new prescription or updating prescription.
g. Doctor will have a facility search for selecting the drug(s).
10) Doctor Notes
Doctor can able to enter notes regarding patient, after physical testing and diagnosis. And a doctor/nurse can also view the list of all doctor notes created for a patient
a. Doctors have a facility to view list of doctor notes as a report created for a
particular patient.
b. Doctors have a facility to view particular doctor note created for a particular
patient
c. Doctors can update exiting doctor note created for a particular patient.
d. Doctors can delete exiting doctor notes created for a particular patient.
e. Doctors can create new note on patient last visits containing the details of
HPI, history and plan.
f. Doctor can create a new note with an existing doctor note for a particular
patient.
g. Doctor can have facility to search referral doctors list and can add them to
doctor note.
h. Displaying different details of a patient as a report
i. Including different details of a patient in a particular doctor note
j. Modifying different details of a patient in a particular doctor note
k. Doctor's note can be print and fax.
11) Nurse Notes
List of regimens prescribed to a patient by the doctor will be displayed to a nurse, to select regimen for capturing other details. Nurses can provide other treatment apart from regimen treatment by phone.
The nurse initiates the chemotherapy process and maintains a detail of medication and IV access for the patient. This process ends with Charge Capture based on ICD Codes and subsequent Scheduling for next appointment.
1) Clicks on the Patient ID to get the patient chart relevant to the nurse.
2) Views the Chemo Schedule and description.
3) Updates the chemo order sheet and creates the nurses notes.
4) Closes the 'chemo day' after the chemo has been completed.
5) Views the nurse's report/notes.
Closes the 'Chemo' after all the chemo days have been closed
a. Nurse can view all the regimens prescribed by the doctor to a patient.
b. Nurse can select regimen to view treatment schedule for that particular
regimen to a patient.
c. Nurse can select a day in treatment schedule cycle and required data will be
captured for regimen.
d. Nurse can make a note under Non ChemoMedicine, Chemotherapy, Pump,
Phlebotomy, Antibiotic, Hydration, Hormone Injection, Antiemetics, Laboratory
and Paracentesis.
e. Nurse can close or open a day in a cycle for particular regimen.
f. Nurse can close or open a cycle or chemo cycle for particular regimen.
g. Nurses can provide non chemo other medicine at hospital or on phone.
h. Nurse can view cycle report to a particular regimen for a particular patient.
12) Laboratory Management
This is used to capture tests information under special diagnosis. If tests are already prescribed for a patient by a doctor, then page will be displayed with existing data and can be captured other new tests, otherwise new page will be displayed for input, new prescribed tests will be captured and shown back with captured data.
a. Doctors can order In-house or Out-House lab tests under Laboratory, Special
Diagnosis, CT scan, Radiology, Respiratory, Physiotherapy, Nuclear Meds,
Ultrasound and Miscellaneous Orders for a particular patient.
b. Doctors can cancel the tests which were ordered previously for a particular
patient.
c. Doctors can view pending, completed and seen tests for a particular patient.
d. Doctors or Lab Person can upload In-house or Out-house tests information
which were undergone present or past by the patient.
e. Clinical Reminders can be captured, modified and displayed.
f. Doctor or Lab person can view today's tests by patient name or test name.
13) Others:
a. Capture Patient Other Scanned documents & Modify or Edit Patient Other Scanned documents
b. Demo Project Codes - Here the diagnosis related data will be mapped with the Insurance according to the given gcodes
c. Capture, Modify and Display Patient Educational information on diseases
d. Capture, Modify and Display Patient Medication log
e. Capture, Modify and Display Pathology
f. Display Patient Diagnosis flow sheet according to the patient visits.
g. Capture, Modify and Display Bone marrow biopsy
h. Capture, Modify and Display Phlebotomy
i. Capture, Modify and Display Paracentesis
j. Phone Call board - Where the nurse/front office/doctor can attend and prescribe a suitable solution to a patient through phone call. All these details will be captured.
k. Mark as Seen - Doctor can mark the patient consultation status as seen for the day.
l. Spell Checker - Using this feature, the user can perform the spell check with the related forms.
m. Audi trail - Captures Doctor Visits on patient including IP address, visit time stamp and navigation information on patient records.
14) Billing Management
The system should provide the billing information, which needs to be integrated with the third party billing software.
Capture the following details
a. Primary focus of visit charges
b. Practice Guideline Adherence charges.
c. Current Disease State charges.
d. Office services charges.
e. Out patient initial consultation charges.
f. Prolonged services charges.
g. Miscellaneous charges.
h. Non-chemotherapy Injections charges.
i. Chemotherapy Injections charges.
j. Non-chemotherapy drugs charges.
k. Chemo Administration charges.
l. Chemotherapy drugs charges.
m. Laboratory services charges.
n. New Consultation charges.
o. Confirmatory Consultation charges.
p. Emergency Department Service charges.
q. Initial Hospital Care charges.
r. Initial Observation Care 8 hrs charges.
t. Subsequent Hospital Care charges.
u. Follow up Consultation charges.
v. Chemo drug charges will be automatically added to the super bill.
ii. Update existing details.
iii. Display super bill for all charges.
Note: The software shall not deal with the billing module and if required shall only have an integration with the existing Billing Management System. It will facilitate all the required inputs/information to the billing software.
15) Reports
a. Patient Registrations
b. Patient Visits
c. Diagnosis-Location
d. Diagnosis-Cancer
e. Doctor Visits
The above reports will be presented in a graphical representation (Bar and pie chart) for the respective data captured in the application.
16) Admin Control Panel
I. Office Admin details
1. Capture the following details
a. Appointment Type details.
Appointment type details include appointment type and description will be
captured.
b. Clinic details.
Clinic details include clinic name, street line1, street line2, city, state, zip, country,
work phone and other phone will be captured.
c. Pharmacy details.
Pharmacy details include pharmacy name, contact person, address1, address2, zip,
phone1, phone2, email, fax1, fax2, registration id, open time, close time and round
clock will be captured.
d. Holiday details.
Holiday details include holiday name, start date, end date, day, recursive and
creation date will be captured.
e. Employee category details.
Employee Category details include employee category name and remarks will be
captured.
f. Employee Master details.
Employee Master details include salutation, title, first name, middle name, last
name, date of birth, sex, ssn, marital status, photograph, address1, address2,
city, state, zip, email, home, work, other phone, cell, username, password, role,
superior and employee category will be captured.
g. Custom Scheduler details.
Custom Scheduler details include clinic name, start time, end time, default interval and custom interval will be captured.
h. Employee Leave/Vacation details.
Leave details include employee name, from date, to date, start time and end time will be captured.
i. Referral doctor details.
Referral Doctor Details include doctor name, hospital name, hospital phone, doctor phone and classification will be captured.
j. Doctor clinic details.
Doctor Clinic details include clinic name, employee name, from date time, to date time, recursive date, start date, from day time, to day time, recurrent day, end date and terminated will be captured.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
II. Diagnosis Management details
1. Capture the following details
a. Residual Tumor Grade details.
b. Histological details.
c. Histological Grade details.
d. ICD Code details.
e. ICD Histology details.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
III. Staging Treatment details
1. Capture the following details
a. Chemo drug code details.
b. Antiemetics details.
c. TNM details.
d. Regimen details.
e. Admin code details.
f. Drug code details.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
IV. Orders details
1. Capture the following details
a. MRI Part details.
b. Test details.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
V. Super Bill details
1. Capture the following details
a. Super Bill Header details.
b. Super Bill Data details.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
VI. Flow sheet details
1. Capture the following details
a. Flow sheet details.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
VII. Demo Project
1. Capture the following details
a. Section details.
b. Cancer Type details.
c. GCode details.
d. ICD & GCode mapping details.
2. Update existing details.
3. Delete the existing details
regards,
Dr Tom

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Gary

Prescription Drug Safety - 8 Tips to Help Your Family Avoid Medication Errors

By Donna L. Pikula DDS

More and more people rely upon the daily use of prescription medications. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is estimated that in the United States alone, almost half of all people are taking at least one prescription medication while 1 in 6 people are taking three or more medications (Source: CDC 2004 Press Release).
There is no question that when used and dispensed properly, prescription drugs do improve health and save lives. However, the unfortunate fact remains that along with the good prescription drugs provide, there is always the risk of a medication error occurring when the drug is dispensed and taken. In fact, medication errors occur all too frequently, sometimes with deadly results.
Medication safety begins with you. Here are some steps you can follow to help your family avoid medication errors:

1. Always make sure your doctor's office and your pharmacy know all of the prescription medications, herbal supplements, vitamins and over-the-counter medications your family member is taking and any known allergies they may have. This can help prevent dangerous drug interactions, allergic reactions, or overdoses. Keep a current list of all the medications your family members take and make sure you update it when something changes. This medication list should include information such as the name of medication taken, the strength, form (pill, liquid, etc.), how often taken, and when the medication was started.
2. Have all your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy. Pharmacies have computer programs that can check for harmful drug interactions between different medicines being taken at the same time as well as possible allergic reactions. However, in order for this to work, the pharmacy needs to know all medications, vitamins, and supplements you or your family members are taking as well as any known allergies. Having all your prescriptions filled at one pharmacy also allows your medical providers to access all your medication information from one source. This can save valuable time and confusion.
3. If possible, get your new prescriptions in writing to take to the pharmacy to be filled. Mistakes can happen when prescriptions are called in by phone -- remember playing "the telephone game" as a child? One child will whisper to another child who will repeat the same thing to another child and so on until the last child says out loud what he or she heard. Remember how the end story never matched the beginning one? Unfortunately, this can happen with prescriptions too. Written prescriptions eliminate errors due to communication problems over the telephone.
4. Make sure you know from your doctor's office the following information about the drug being given: name, strength, directions for taking/using it, number/amount given, and why the drug is being given. You may need your doctor or someone from his/her office to write this information down for you on a separate sheet of paper. (Never write on, or alter, a prescription you are given from your doctor.) Knowing this information can help you double check that you did receive the right medication from your pharmacy. This step acts as a double check that your written prescription was filled as your doctor intended. It is especially important to understand as much information about a new medication before you leave your doctor's office. Additional prescription medication information can also be found in reference books available at your local library or bookstore (pill books, PDR), or at on-line sites like http://www.safemedication.com.
5. If you are simply refilling a prescription, be sure the refilled drug matches the drug your family member has been taking. If they do not match exactly, then you need find out why. If you are used to receiving little orange tablets and instead you have been given larger white tablets, you need to find out what is going on. You may have been given a different company's drug or you may have been given the wrong drug. Do not have your family member take any questionable refill medications until you can check with your pharmacist to make sure you have the right medication. If the medication is different, check with your doctor to see if your family member is supposed to take a different medication.
6. If you are filling a prescription for a child, an elderly person or someone who is extremely overweight or underweight, make sure the doctor and pharmacist know the age and weight of the patient. Medication amounts are often based upon the weight of the patient especially for children. Also, some medications are not given to children until they reach certain ages. Similarly, some medications should be avoided for senior citizens.
7. Have your family member take all medications as instructed (right number of doses, avoid certain foods, etc.) and keep a list of any problems they experience while on a medication. Problems should be shared with your doctor's office. They can help you decide how serious the problem is and if adjustments to your medication are needed.
8. Making sure you get the right medications in a hospital or nursing home is much harder to do since you do not see original packaging and you may be receiving some medication through an I.V. (receiving drugs through a vein). In addition, you may be sleeping or not feeling well when the medication is given. In these cases, do the best you can and always ask what medications are being given and what they are for. Be sure the person who is giving the medication is aware of any allergies you may have.
If you are the patient and are not able to ask questions, then have your patient advocate (who knows your medical and prescription history) find out what drugs have been prescribed for you and why. Your patient advocate can then help verify if you are receiving the correct medications. You can do the same thing for a family member if you are their patient advocate. Some hospitals and pharmacies are now beginning to use bar code systems and other technology to help prevent drug-dispensing errors. However, not all hospitals are doing this yet, and no system is perfect. Therefore, it's still best to double-check what drugs are being given to you at all times.

Dr. Donna Pikula is an award-winning healthcare writer and speaker who helps people become smarter patients. Smarter patients know how to receive the health care they deserve for themselves and their loved ones, while reducing their chances of suffering from medical errors. Dr. Pikula invites you to visit http://books2helpyou.com to learn more about the award-winning book After the Diagnosis: How to Look Out for Yourself or a Loved One and its companion notebook, My Medical Organizer. While visiting, we also encourage you to discover other SMART patient tips and sign-up for our monthly health newsletter!
Dr. Pikula holds a D.D.S. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Orthodontics from the University of Tennessee.
Copyright 2008 - Donna L. Pikula, D.D.S, M.S. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and follow all the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.

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Electronic Medical Record Privacy

By Kent Pinkerton

Electronic medical records are meant to enhance the provision of medical care. In order to be most effective, such records need to describe each patient as comprehensively as possible. They may therefore contain information about lifestyle factors, such as engaging in high-risk sports, or smoking. Sensitive information on medications and clinical conditions are also recorded, as are risk factors for various diseases.
To protect patient privacy and to prevent misuse of confidential and potentially sensitive information, the US Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, and a more stringent Privacy Rule went into effect in 2003. HIPAA sets required national standards for medical records, guarantees patients the right to see their own medical records, and requires providers to inform patients how their medical information is used and disclosed. However, there are still ways for interested parties to gain access to medical records.
Patient information in medical records can be accessed by a number of entities. Insurance companies often require a release of medical information before they issue a policy or make a payment on a patient's behalf. Insurance companies may, in turn, share certain medical information with other financial institutions. Under federal law, insurance companies are required to allow clients to opt out of sharing their information with other companies. Many insurance companies in the United States also share and access medical information through the Medical Information Bureau. While information in the Bureau database is not governed by HIPAA, anyone listed in the database is entitled to a free report and the right to have any incorrect information corrected.
If an individual is on any form of government-sponsored medical assistance, such as Medicare, Social Security Disability or Worker's Compensation, his or her medical records can be accessed by government agencies. In addition to insurance companies and the government, current and future employers can also gain access to medical records under certain conditions.

Electronic Medical Records [http://www.WetPluto.com/Electronic-Medical-Record-Companies.html] provides detailed information on Electronic Medical Records, Electronic Medical Record Software, Electronic Medical Record Systems, Electronic Medical Record Companies and more. Electronic Medical Records is affiliated with HIPAA Laws [http://www.i-HIPAA.com].

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Electronic Medical Records

By Kent Pinkerton

Electronic medical records are computer-based patient medical records. Physicians' offices and hospitals throughout the United States are increasingly using them because they offer certain advantages over conventional paper-based medical records. Such records are also useful in processing health insurance claims and following up with patients. A key benefit to medical providers is the instant availability of data once it is entered electronically, and the space and labor savings resulting from the elimination of paper-based records.
Electronic medical records are readily accessible, increasingly standardized for seamless use where and when required, and greatly reduce the likelihood of error in either entry or interpretation of medical information. Having a patient's medical and contact information readily available can be potentially life-saving during critical medical events such as severe allergic reactions or heart attacks. By reducing errors and saving time, electronic medical records may therefore help reduce the large number of deaths attributed to medical error in the United States each year.
In order to enter medical information into an electronic medical record, special software is required. The electronic medical records software industry is rapidly growing, and such software is becoming increasingly sophisticated. While basic software allows for entry of physician orders and notes and nurses' notes, more advanced software may include error-checking programs, the capacity to synchronize with hand-held data devices, and other advanced features that increase the utility of records.
As electronic medical records are more widely used, concerns regarding the protection of patients' confidential medical information and privacy have increased. In 1996, the US Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and a more stringent Privacy Rule went into effect in 2003. HIPAA sets required national standards for medical records, guarantees patients the right to see their own medical records, and requires providers to inform patients how their medical information is used and disclosed.

Electronic Medical Records [http://www.WetPluto.com/Electronic-Medical-Record-Companies.html] provides detailed information on Electronic Medical Records, Electronic Medical Record Software, Electronic Medical Record Systems, Electronic Medical Record Companies and more. Electronic Medical Records is affiliated with HIPAA Laws [http://www.i-HIPAA.com].

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How to Choose a Medical Billing Specialist

By Kathryn Whittaker

When considering how to choose a medical billing specialist, you must consider the skills and abilities of a good one. If you know what you are looking for, making the right decision as to which billing specialist to use becomes fairly obvious. Take a look at what a medical billing specialist should be familiar with and what they have to do so that you can choose the right medical transcriptions
First of all when considering how to choose a medical billing specialist, you should make sure you find one that understands medical transcription. Medical transcription is the transferring of medical information from audio recordings to either paper or electronic format. Your billing specialist should be aware of this because of the information contained in the transcripts. The transferred data becomes an electronic medical record, which just shows how much everything the billing specialist works with is interconnected.
The job of medical transcription is usually outsourced to a third party company or done through the use of medical transcription software. Each part of the process, though, must be overseen by someone with training to do the transcription so as to catch all potential errors.
Secondly, you want your medical billing specialist to be familiar with the various medical codes. Additionally, he or she should know about governing record keeping, billing, and certification. This allows the billing specialist to be familiar with the important standards that control how a medical billing specialist actually performs his or her job. Knowing how the codes function and what they say is crucial to being a good and an effective medical billing specialist.
When you look at how to choose a medical billing specialist, you should also make sure he or she is familiar with electronic medical records (EMR). The information in such records is coded and means that a billing specialist must be able to decipher the information in order to make sure billing is done correctly. Additionally, the specialist must be trained due to the fact that all EMR's must be managed, backed up, and stored with great care so that everything is kept secure. The information is very sensitive.
In an age of software and computers, it is vital that your medical billing specialist knows how to use medical practice software. The software is made to allow a database of EMR's to go along with access to medical codes with which your billing specialist should also be familiar. The software helps practices to cut their IT expenses by only forcing them to pay monthly secure hosting for the system. Medical billing specialists are some of the people authorized to use the programs to get information via computers or PDA's off the server.
Deciding how to choose a medical billing specialist is not easy. You must have an understanding of what all a good billing specialist knows and understands. The information above helps you get a feel for what you should look for when choosing your medical billing specialist.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Finance & Business and Medical Billing, for more FREE information and articles please visit Medical Billing Resources

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