The Healthcare Facility Operations Interest Group focuses on matters governing the operations of hospitals and other healthcare facilities, including Medicare, Medicaid, EMTALA, state and local licensure laws and regulations, and standards of national organizations such as the Joint Commission, among others. Examples of issues covered include: legal duties of the governing body, medical staff bylaws and credentialing, improving quality of care, medical errors reporting/liability, medical ethics, conflicts of interest, licensure, compliance, internal audits, and investigations. This Interest Group also undertakes the following activities: monitors enforcement activity; follows and, where appropriate and applicable, comments on legislative and regulatory developments; and serves as a forum for the exchange of information and debate on these activities. The Interest Group will seek to develop a sub-group to focus on long term care facilities and the issues related thereto.

2008 - 2009 Healthcare Facility Operations Interest Group Action Plan

Access this link to join the Healthcare Facility Operations Interest Group and List Serve.

Current Interest Group Roster (459 members)
(Accessible to ABA Members)

Chair:
Tracy Powell
Sherrard & Roe, PLLC
Nashville, TN

Vice Chairs:
Jacqueline C. Kingsolver
Catholic Health Initiatives
Erlanger, KY

Neil Kunkel
LifePoint Hospitals Inc
Brentwood, TN

Conrad Meyer
Chaffe McCall LLP
New Orleans, LA

Kathy Poppitt
Cox Smith
Austin, TX

Liaisons

Government Submissions & Policy
Elaine C. Zacharakis
Chicago, IL

Membership
Kathy Poppitt
Cox Smith
Austin, TX

Technology
Tracy Powell
Sherrard & Roe, PLLC
Nashville, TN

Upcoming IG Program

ABA Healthcare Facility Operations Interest Group
April 8, 2008
All IG Conference Call

• Changes to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems and Fiscal Year 2009 Rates [08/19/2008]
• New EMTALA Rules [08/18/2008]
• Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Issues Opinion In The Appeal Of The Poliner Judgment
• JCHAHO Suspends MS 1.20
• HHS: Hospital's Proposal To Provide Free Dialysis Services To Chronic Dialysis Patients Unable To Obtain Dialysis In Their Community - OIG Advisory Opinion No. 07-01
• OIG Advisory Opinion No. 06-16 - Proposed Arrangement For A Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Manufacturer To Provide Advertising Assistance And Reimbursement Consulting Services To Some Of Its Customers
• OIG Executes Tenet Corporate Integrity Agreement Unprecedented Provisions Include Board of Directors Review
• Corporate Integrity Agreement Between The OIG and Tenet Healthcare Corporation
• State Medicaid Fraud Control Units Annual Report Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005
• Advisory Opinion document 06-14
• Fiscal 2007 Work Plan
• Safe Harbors for Certain Electronic Prescribing and Electronic Health Records Arrangements Under the Anti-Kickback Statute
• Medicare Program; Physicians' Referrals to Health Care Entities With Which They Have Financial Relationships; Exceptions for Certain Electronic Prescribing and Electronic Health Records Arrangements
• An Open Letter to Health Care Providers
• OIG Advisory Opinion No. 06-03: Advisory opinion regarding a pharmaceutical company patient assistance program that provides free outpatient prescription drugs to financially-needy Medicare Part D enrollees entirely outside of the Part D benefit.
• Testimony of Lewis Morris, Chief Counsel to the Inspector General U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• HHS:OIG Advisory Opinion, 06-02, Concerning Two Proposed Programs To Manage The Delivery Of Durable Medical Equipment And Orthotics To Be Offered To Physicians By A DME And Orthotics Manufacturer And Supplier.
• OIG Excludes Miami Hospital from Participation in Federal Health Care Programs
• HIPAA Administrative Simplification Enforcement Final Rule

• 2008 - 2009 Healthcare Facility Operations Interest Group Action Plan
• HIPAA Privacy Rule: Disclosures for Emergency Preparedness - A Decision Tool
• GOA: Government Accountability Office Reports & Testimonies
• HHS: Office for Civil Rights: HIPAA