Practice Management

Following recent settlements against providers who violated HIPAA Privacy Rule, CDA encourages its members to utilize an array of tools and resources to achieve compliance

CDA encourages its members to take a proactive approach to employee meal and rest break compliance. Doing so requires an understanding of the regulations involved and communicating with employees about them.

The four-part series explores the crucial stages of finding qualified candidates, successfully integrating new team members into the dental practice and retaining top talent.

The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC) has noted an increase in calls to its Risk Management Advice Line from dentists who are facing AwDA digital accessibility lawsuits. Read more about the law and reasonable accessibility as well as the risks of noncompliance and benefits of compliance.

Nearly one year has passed since California dentists and other health care providers began electronically prescribing all medications in compliance with state law. Hopefully, processes have been much more efficient for you and your patients, but don’t wait to evaluate your options.
 

“Sad or Mad: Fear and Loss of Control in the Pandemic,” an editorial by Kerry K. Carney, DDS, CDE, that appeared in the April 2021 Journal of the California Dental Association, is the first-place recipient of the 2021 William J. Gies Editorial Award.
 

In dentistry, optimal patient safety exists when all members of the dental team actively work together to ensure the well-being of each patient. When a crisis does arise, a prepared team is an effective team.

Guidelines for behavior should exist when practice team members interact with one another outside of the office. TDIC’s Risk Management analysts encourage dentists to promote high standards of behavior inside and outside of the office by clearly defining professional boundaries.

Handling unhappy patients can be an unfortunate reality of practice ownership. On the rare occasion anger escalates to aggression, be mindful of your obligation to provide a safe working environment for your employees. Follow guidance for safe and appropriate de-escalation tactics.

To be compliant with Cal/OSHA standards, California dental practices are required to train any team member who may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens. CDA has resources available to support your practice in achieving compliance.

Abyde software guides practices through mandatory HIPAA compliance requirements, making compliance programs easy and sustainable for dental practices of any size.

Dentists who received Provider Relief Fund payments during period 3 are required to use those funds on eligible pandemic-related expenses by June 30 and report the use of those funds July 1-Sept. 30 if the payments exceeded $10,000.