April 2015 Volume LV, Issue 4 HIPAA Rights Include Communications by Alternative Means and Locations for Patients By Anita Westbrook One of a patient’s rights under the HIPAA rules is to request communications by alternative means or at alternative locations when the communications contain protected health information. Examples include: 1. A patient with an abusive spouse may request to receive mail from UAMS at a work address instead of their home address. 2. The legal guardian of an elderly patient may request that communications from UAMS be sent to the legal Dear Colleagues, We can all probably agree that often performance or practice improvement requires some type of change. Most likely, we would also agree that all change doesn’t necessarily represent improvement. It is not possible to ensure that all changes made within the UAMS clinical enterprise (or even within the nursing areas) will be without flaw, or in the final analysis even deemed to be an improvement. I can assure you, however, that we are working hard to improve our processes around change to increase the odds that the outcomes are positive. guardian instead of the elderly patient. 3. Patient may request telephone communications be limited to home telephone. UAMS will honor reasonable requests and does not require the patient to disclose an explanation or reason for the request. If necessary, we will require the patient HIPAA Rights Continued Next Page Being creatures of habit, humans generally do not like change. However, when the benefit of the change outweighs the effort required to make that change, we become more open and may even ultimately welcome the change. Beginning next month, we will be unveiling a new “change” process that will help lay the foundation for better planning, communication and implementation of changes. I am confident that using this systematic and consistent approach will enable you to engage in the change process, be better informed and have a greater understanding of details surrounding changes. All of this will serve to produce better outcomes that are not just successful but are also sustained (the real challenge). I love Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “When you’re CNO Spotlight Continued Next Page HIPAA Rights Continued from Page 1 to identify how payments will be made. UAMS will not honor a patient’s request if it is unreasonable. An example of an unreasonable request would be a patient who requests that all communications containing protected health information be sent by overnight mail to an address in Canada. UAMS will work with the patient to communicate with them by alternative means that are reasonable or at alternative locations that are reasonable. For patients registered in Epic, if the patient requests that their mail (appointment reminders, bills, etc.) be CNO Spotlight Continued from Page 1 finished changing, you’re finished.” We can rest assured that healthcare is not “finished” as the changes are coming faster than we can handle sometimes. As we strive to go about change in a “smarter” way, I am asking for your patience, open-mindedness and feedback as we work through the kinks that always come with new processes. I truly believe that this new approach will support better communication, collaboration and adaptability which are critical to the achievement of the outcomes we all desire related to nursing practice, clinical quality, patient/family experiences and financial viability of our institution. As always, I appreciate all you do each and every day for our patients and families. You are our greatest asset! I want to recognize the following recipients of our monthly recognition awards: • Outstanding Nurse of the Month: Jennifer Washington, RN III – PRI • MVP: Tamekia Walter, PSA – Unit F7 • Outstanding Area of the Month: Surgical Specialties – Unit F9 • DAISY: Shane Cate, RN I – Unit F7 Best Regards, sent to an address other than their home address (or requests that phone calls be made to a phone number other than their home or work phone numbers), the temporary address and guarantor fields in Epic will be utilized as appropriate depending on the request. Although the patient is not required to give an explanation or reason for the request, pertinent, available information regarding the request should be documented in the notes field. If the patient specifies an address or phone number that should never be utilized, even in the case of an emergency, that information should be left out of or removed from the system. For example, if a patient says that they never want to be called at work, the work phone number should not be included. Employees communicating with patients must take care to use information present in the temporary address fields in Epic with current effective dates for all communications. Supervisory approval must be obtained prior to using any information outside of the temporary address fields to contact the patient. If the patient cannot be located by the alternative method requested, any available contact information may be used to locate the patient in the event that: A. UAMS determines there is a situation where there is a medical emergency or similar situation where the patient’s health may be at risk if he/she is not contacted immediately OR B. If the patient has not provided adequate information on how payments will be made For additional information regarding patient requests for alternative communications, contact the UAMS HIPAA Office at (501) 603-1379. Circle of Excellence Awards Ceremony Tuesday, May 12 – 1:30 p.m. Hospital Lobby Gallery Helen May Compassionate Care Award Department Honorees Washington Named April Nurse of the Month! By Nisa Trenthem, RN, BSN, ADON – Image Council Please join the Image Council of the Professional Nursing Organization in congratulating Jennifer Washington, RN III as our Outstanding Nurse of the Month for April. Jennifer graduated with a BSN degree from our off-campus program in Hope, Arkansas. Her entire career has been spent at UAMS beginning on one of our Medical/Surgical floors then transferring to our adult inpatient psychiatric unit in 2009. Currently, she works at the Walker Family Clinic and our inpatient unit at the Psychiatric Research Institute. When Jennifer was asked about her favorite part of being a nurse, she replied, “I love the joy I feel knowing that I have helped someone. I also love the fact that there are so many different aspects of nursing and so many opportunities for nurses. I absolutely love my co-workers both inpatient and outpatient.” Her greatest inspiration to become a nurse started when she was just a child. She stated, “For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to become a nurse. I have always enjoyed helping others. I always knew that nursing would give me the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.” Jennifer spends some of her free time shopping and reminiscing with Continued Next Page Tamekia Walter is April MVP! Jennifer Washington, RN III Psychiatric Research Unit By Traci Altman, RNC-OB, BSN Tamekia Walter, Patient Services Associate Unit F7 The Professional Nursing Organization’s Image Council is proud to announce that Tamekia Walter, Patient Services Associate (PSA) on Unit F7-Stem Cell Transplant, is our Most Valuable Partner (MVP) for April 2015. Tamekia has been a member of Team UAMS since 2010! Co-workers praise the compassion she has for her patients and feel that she exemplifies patient- and family-centered care. Her nomination form stated:“She has gone above and beyond by providing a care package of food for a low blood sugar patient to take home until he could make travel arrangements to the store. She has also purchased emery boards and air freshener for a patient that had been admitted unexpectedly. Tamekia not only provides great care to patients, but also provides excellent support for the F7 team with her calm demeanor and thoughtful care.” UAMS is excited to have such a a wonderful patient advocate on staff. Congratulations and thank you, Tamekia! National Certifications Congratulations to the following nurses who achieved their national specialty certification between December 2014 and March 2015! Name/Unit – National Certification Achieved: • Lorrie Baker, F5 – RNC-NIC • Melissa Brothers, F5 – RNC-NIC • Angela Brown, F5 – RNC-NIC • Alan Caffrey, Dialysis – CDN • Caitlin Castellani, H8 – MED/SURG • Christina Chamness, F8 – MED/SURG • Ted Clowers, H4 – CCRN • Joshua Davis, ED – BCEN • Jennifer Divino, E6 – MNN • Sarah Doss, Float Pool – MED/SURG • Tiffany Edwards, OR – CNOR • Audrey Fier, F8 – MED/SURG • Sarah France, F9 – MED/SURG • Nicholas Joubert, OR – CNOR • Stephanie Miller, H4 – CCRN • Reagan Mitchell, F4 – MED/SURG • Renee Shaide, F8 – MED/SURG • Kaylee Sisoukrath, F9 – MED/SURG • Lydia Steele, F5 – NICN • Michael Waldron, H4 – CCRN • Renee M. Wells, H6 – CDE April 2015 – F9 - Surgical Specialties Congratulations to F9 – Surgical Specialties for being selected as the Outstanding Area of the Month for April! Jami Travis is the Clinical Services Manager. Nursing staff members say they enjoy working in F9 – Surgical Specialties because: • “Nursing is all I’ve ever wanted to do.” • “I enjoy taking care of patients and seeing them happy.” • “I love it.” Patients who visited F9 – Surgical Specialties shared the following patient satisfaction comments with surveyors: • “The nurses were all great and did everything to make sure I was happy and comfortable.” • “I have been in all Central Arkansas hospitals, and these are the best nurses I’ve ever had!” • “I was extremely impressed with each and every one of my nurses. They all were wonderful.” Keep up the good work with patient satisfaction and customer service, F9 – Surgical Specialties! If you received your national specialty certification between December 2014 and March 2015 and are not listed, please email the [email protected]. Nurse of the Month Continued from Page 3 childhood friends, but the majority of her time is spent with her family. She shared, “I have a beautiful sevenyear-old daughter who is my world. Everybody in my department knows my Madison. She keeps me very busy with all of her various activities, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world!” We are blessed that Jennifer chose to work at UAMS and is a part of our team. If you see her, please take time to let her know how much she is appreciated! DEADLINE! Articles for the May 2015 issue of the Capsule are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8. Please e-mail them to Janie Runkle: [email protected] Articles received after that date will be included in the June issue. Finley Wins State Award Congratulations to Shannon Finley, MSN, RN in the UAMS Quality Management Department for being named the Arkansas Association for Healthcare Quality (AAHQ) Member of the Year for 2015! The award, which was presented earlier this month at the AAHQ spring conference, is awarded annually to an individual member who has demonstrated leadership in the organization as well as a commitment to quality improvement and patient safety in the state and at the national level. Bone Marrow Donor Drive UAMS nurses Eric Peppers, RN – F6 (left), Joe Jimmerson, RN – Center for Nursing Excellence, Mark Rowe, RN – CVL Clinic, and Norman Swope, RN – F7 are members of the Little Rock Chapter of American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN). The group held a bone marrow donor drive at UAMS in February where 425 employees registered as potential donors to help Delete Blood Cancer. UAMS Blood Drive May 21 & 22 — ED II Concourse 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nursing Compassion and Outstanding Nurse Educator Annual Awards First Tuesday Ethics Discussions (FTEDs) This year’s Nursing Compassion and Outstanding Nurse Educator Awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 8 at Chenal Country Club in West Little Rock. Join us as healthcare workers across the state present and discuss a variety of current ethical topics. UAMS Nursing Ethics Committee provides two locations on campus to view Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s monthly multi-disciplinary forum. Nominations will be accepted through May 15. A form is available on the following page. Training Tracker credit is given and attending counts toward your professional development hours and your annual performance appraisal. 2015 dates: May 5 August 4 Nov. 3 June 2 July 7 Sept. 1 October 6 Dec. 1 TIME: 3 to 4 p.m. AR SAVES Strauss-McCaskill Classroom (10th floor, Cancer Institute) and the F5 NICU Conference Room Remote link provided by the Nursing Ethics Committee. STROKE is an Emergency Every minute counts What is AR SAVES? Stroke Assistance Through Virtual We’re searching Arkansas to find the one nurse we can say is the most outstanding in our state. Do you know a nurse that you feel is the most compassionate, caring and empathetic caregiver? A nurse who has given comfort or care to you, a family member or a friend. It may be a nurse you work with. We are asking you to send us their name, where they work, phone number and a short message expressing why you think they are the most deserving nurse in Arkansas. For the fourth year we are also honoring the outstanding nurse educator of the year. We are searching for an educator that has been a driving force in development and support of nursing careers. Send in your nominee’s name, place of work and a short story of why they should receive the award. Be sure you include your contact information for us to get back in touch with you. Nominate a candidate from your school or facility today. Deadline is May 15, 2015 Your nomination should include: Name: License# School or place of Employment: Address: Phone: Include a short essay on why the nominee deserves the honor. (Please feel free to add extra pages.) Contact information of person nominating: Name: Phone: Email Address: It is important that the individual making the nomination includes their contact information for follow up. Please email or send your nominations to the address below by no later than May 15, 2015. Suzanne Ramsel Nurse Compassion Award/Nurse Educator Award P.O. Box 17427 Little Rock, AR. 72222 [email protected] ext. 101 Presented by: THE NATION’S LARGEST PUBLISHER OF STATE BOARDS OF NURSING JOURNALS UAMS’ biggest family medicine conference of the year features 29 hours of content to nurses (8 pharmacology) such as anticoagulants, chronic sinusitis, diabetic neuropathy, dizziness. Register at cme.uams.edu. Special Feature: FREE 5-hour session on “Leaving a Trail of Smoke: Tobacco’s Impact on Health” May 14. Register for this session only. For more information, call 501-526-5439. Discounts to nurses who register 3 or more at a time! we the heart of UAMS UAMS nurses You Are Our Best Asset! Check out our RN Refer A Nurse and Hotel Lodging Programs http://nurses.uams.edu/ or access via mobile device nurses.uams.edu Go Live April 1 UAMS Celebrates Nurses Week May 1-8 7th Annual NURSING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE FAIR Wed., May 6, 2015 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDII Concourse Don’t miss this showcase of all of the great things UAMS nurses are doing this year! Presentation of the 4th Annual Nursing Recognition Awards 11:30 a.m. EDII Room G137 For more information, contact Tina Davis at (501) 686-7328 or email: [email protected].
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