News roundup September 13-17

Look for an interim final rule in October that will require “staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities” to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a press release by CMS.

The 2021 National Provider Enrollment Forum, September 20-21, delivers engaging education and training to provider enrollment professionals and credentialing/privileging professionals. Experienced veterans and top industry experts will be on hand to provide you best practices and tips. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to get step-by-step training and answers to your most pressing questions! Don't miss our brand-new credentialing track dedicated to the most important topics in credentialing and privileging. For more information, including the agenda, click here. And as a bonus, attendees get complimentary access to our National Provider Enrollment Virtual!

National Provider Enrollment Virtual, November 2-3, is perfect for those of you who are unable to travel or just want some additional training from the comfort of your home or office. This event is packed with education for both new and veteran provider enrollment professionals. Learn best practices for enrolling with Medicare and commercial payers, using the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS), and streamlining enrollment, contracting, and recruitment. Attendees get on-demand access to these virtual sessions for 60 days. For more information, including the agenda, click here.

The medical staff must be integrally involved in the hospital strategic plan, and there must be close communication between the medical executive committee (MEC) and the governing board. Therefore, the MEC may want to discuss strategic initiatives or strategic opportunities and challenges proposed by physicians or the hospital.

Our understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has come a long way since General George Patton was reprimanded for assaulting “shellshocked” soldiers on two separate occasions in 1943. Neither of the hospitalized patients had physical wounds, which enraged Patton to the point he dragged them from their hospital beds, slapped them, kicked them to the ground, and pulled out his sidearm. While attacking Private Charles Kuhl, Patton was reported to have screamed, “Your nerves, hell, you are just a goddamned coward. Shut up that goddamned crying. I won't have these brave men who have been shot at seeing this yellow bastard sitting here crying.”

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (the "Court") ruled that a physician’s claims against the health system and hospital that employed him did not stand up because they stemmed from protected peer review activities.