Life during a pandemic is something few of us will soon forget. But five years from now, how well will you remember the specifics of day-to-day details if you are called on to testify during a lawsuit?

"We do everything a little different now," Jennifer Perry, Norwood Clinic administrator, says. When Alabama shut down in March to slow the spread of COVID-19, the multi-specialty, 20-physician practice had to stop elective surgeries, ophthalmology visits, and even mammograms. Once the state reopened in May, they had to adapt to new restrictions.

Five months after the initial COVID-19 shutdown, it is apparent that most industries have been affected by shutdowns, restrictions and quickly changing guidelines and best practices.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, creating a sense of normalcy where kids can feel safe and continue to develop the social skills they will need to navigate a complex world isn't easy.

A number of statutes provide physicians with protection from liability when responding directly to the COVID-19 pandemic.

About half of American workers have been forced to work from home by Covid-19, and it appears the shift may become the new norm. In April, nearly one in five CFOs surveyed by the Brookings Institution planned to keep at least 20 percent of their workforce working remotely.

From a fitness tracker to healthy eating app, data is everywhere ... but it isn't all protected by HIPAA. The AMA has created a set of privacy principles that put patients in charge of their information.

Don't underestimate the value of 2020 hindsight. Looking back and evaluating how your practice or health services business fared in the first half of a difficult year could help you better prepare for whatever lies ahead.

With the damage the coronavirus shut-down has done to businesses, including health care practices, the government has stepped in to create an economic lifeline. However, with the uncertainty of the rapidly changing situation, it is important to stay up to date on the available resources and requirements.

As bad as the COVID 19 pandemic has been, it has led to some positive changes, including expanded insurance coverage for patient care by telemedicine.

At the beginning of 2020, the video-conferencing platform Zoom was seeing 200 million daily meeting participants on average. That was before Covid-19 struck. Now, with remote workers becoming the norm, Zoom and other virtual meeting tools have become as much a part of the workday as email.

On June 12, 2020, the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois granted a pharmacy's motion for summary judgment in a False Claims Act (FCA) qui tam lawsuit involving the pharmacy's usual and customary (U&C) pricing in the case U.S. ex. rel. Proctor v. Safeway.

Psychiatrist Tyler Byrd, DO has joined the staff at Cullman Regional Medical Group. Byrd, who will see patients at Cullman Regional Turning Point Health Center, received his undergraduate degree from Birmingham-Southern College and his medical degree from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Researchers at the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute at UAB have zeroed in on Degarelix, an FDA-approved drug for prostate cancer, as a potential therapeutic for SARS-CoV-2 by preventing the virus from entering lung tissue.

With the uncertainty and ever-changing policies and guidance related to COVID-19, healthcare providers are struggling to keep up with the recommendations while also providing care in a difficult situation.

One of the last national conferences held before COVID-19 began spreading, MGMA20: The Financial Conference shared critical information that's now more important than ever.

Peanut allergies are the second most common food allergy in children, occurring in about one in 50 kids. "There is no cure for peanut allergies other than avoidance, so families naturally have a lot of concern about accidental contact," says Weily Soong, MD, who practices with Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center.

Several years ago, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released Chronic Care Management (CCM) to assist in improving the quality of chronic illness care which should result in better patient outcomes.

Over the past several months, the Office for Civil Rights ("OCR"), the entity responsible for compliance with and enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations ("HIPAA"), has issued several notices (and hosted a few webinars/conference calls) regarding HIPAA enforcement in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

With the spreading COVID-19 disease disrupting life, causing businesses to close temporarily, putting people out of work while most stay home, many Alabama medical practices are struggling with the challenges of managing a plunge in revenue and the need to safely care for patients.

In light of the challenges for medical practices, many carriers including BlueCross of Alabama have expanded coverage to make telehealth easier to access and are reimbursing clinics for certain types of visits.

Courts continue to be split regarding what is required to establish falsity under the False Claims Act, causing potential confusion amongst healthcare providers.