News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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Federal Appeals Court Rules Yelp Not Responsible for Bad Reviews; Labs Advised to Examine Their Online Presence

Clinical laboratories and pathology groups can benefit from developing a strategy for addressing negative Yelp reviews

In today’s wired world, clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups have a new challenge: what to do when unhappy patients go to social networking sites and post comments about their negative experience with their lab. A lab can have a sterling reputation for service and it can all unravel if a vociferous and angry patient posts rants on the Internet.

Today’s reality is that, like them or not, online reviews posted on websites such as Yelp are here to stay. That is why medical lab managers and pathologists should know about a recent court ruling that protects websites that feature consumer reviews about businesses.

One business owner who sued such a website learned this out the hard way—in court. A locksmith in Redmond, Wash., reportedly filed a libel lawsuit, claiming he lost 95% of his business after receiving a negative 1-star review on Yelp. Regardless, a federal appeals court ruled that Yelp’s star rating system, which is based on user input, does not make Yelp responsible for negative reviews of businesses, the Chicago Tribune reported. (more…)

HITECH ACT Mandates New Patient Privacy Requirements on Labs and Pathology Groups

Labs Must Report Privacy Breaches of 500 or More to the Media

Call it HITECH collides with HIPAA! Most pathologists and lab executives know that passage of the HITECH Act was the part of 2009’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (also referred to as “ARRA” or the “stimulus bill”). HITECH provides incentives for the expanded use of electronic health records by physicians and other providers.

But what is lesser known is how the HITECH Act creates new legal obligations of covered entities and business associates under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA). These new legal mandates are designed to protect the privacy and security of the patient. They require clinical laboratories and all providers to take specific actions whenever patient privacy is breached.
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