Two recent settlements between the Federal Government and private healthcare facilities demonstrate the necessity for healthcare providers to ensure effective communication with patients who are hearing impaired. Legally, Federal Law requires healthcare providers to take steps to ensure effective communication with…
On June 17, 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19 in children aged 6 months and up. Previously, the Moderna vaccine was approved for…
In the wake of the Russian attacks against Ukraine, the American Dental Association (ADA) published an article in ADA News advising dentists to be on alert for cyberattacks. This article follows a joint warning issued by the US Cybersecurity and…
On December 16, 2021, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved revisions to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which were implemented November 2020 and revised in June 2021. The ETS updates amend employer requirements for…
Public comments submitted in response to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Modifications to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy Rule are now available for public viewing. The proposed…
On April 27th, 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updates to two COVID-19 guidance documents, with the pertinent sections applicable to dental healthcare personnel and the general public summarized below. 1. The Updated Healthcare Infection…
CE WAIVER EXTENSION: The California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) released an updated Waiver Notice, dated March 30, 2021, to extend the continuing education (CE) requirements for California dental licensees whose active licenses expire between March 31, 2020, and May…
SB 1159 – Workers’ Compensation Reporting On September 17, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1159, which eases the path to workers’ compensation benefits for employees who contract COVID-19, and increases employer reporting requirements in the event of a…
Under the Ready Campaign, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated the month of September as National Preparedness Month. Nobody expects an emergency or a disaster to happen. Yet, emergencies and disasters can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere. National…
Earlier this year, in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Recommendations for Hepatitis C Screening Among Adults — United States, 2020, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated its recommendations for one-time hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening to…
