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If so, the DEA wants them back. As of October 30, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration mandated the use of single sheet DEA 222 Forms for those providers who prescribe schedule 2 controlled substances (meperidine/Demerol, and fentanyl). At this time, triplicate DEA 222 forms are no longer be available or utilized, according to federal law. To order the single sheet forms, DEA registrants are instructed to visit the form request page. They will need the information from their registration certificate in order to login. For DEA registrants who still have unused triplicate DEA Forms 222, the DEA is asking that they be returned...

HIPAA Compliance can save you hundreds of thousands to millions in fines and penalties.  The goalposts for HIPAA compliance change due to new requirements the evolution of case law.  There’s a storm brewing, and you need to listen to this one….It’s gonna cost you.  In recent years healthcare providers have paid through the nose for HIPAA violations. Their greatest liability? People. Yes, people are the biggest threat to privacy and information security. See all it takes is one of employee to open an e-mail, click on a link, or open an attachment they shouldn’t open (and perhaps not even reports it to...

Are you HIPAA compliant? Are you sure? There are situations that you can use or disclose Protected Health Information and you do not need a signed authorization to do so. Patients (or in some cases their caregivers) always have the Right of Access. Next, there are what are known as T-P-O exceptions. They are: TREATMENT – Dental offices can communicate/ coordinate treatment with other healthcare providers for the care of a common patient, dentists can communicate with other healthcare providers regarding a patients, or refer patients to other providers without a written authorization from the patient/caregiver. PAYMENT – Dental offices...

Cyber security threats are continually evolving and they pose a very real and significant threat to dental practices. Ransomware is malicious software that takes over a victim’s hard drive when they click on an infected advertisement, email, attachment, or website and encrypts the contents of a device – and any other connected electronics – which the hacker then demands bitcoin or cryptocurrency payments to unlock. With an adequate data backup, you may be able to recover from a ransomware situation, but you will still have a mess to deal with. The HHS-Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is the federal agency...

Safe water to drink, bathe, cook and wash our clothing in is something most of us take for granted. Using clean water in your dental practice can be taken for granted as well! Water safety is an important consideration for dental offices as dental units, due to the small diameter of waterlines, is a perfect environment to grow biofilm. It is important dental offices ensure proper treatment for biofilm and verify the effectiveness of your treatment protocol through periodic water testing. These steps is essential to minimize your chances of causing your patients Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI); it is good...