TMC is an SCMA Preferred Partner Total Medical Compliance provides a full range of programs customized to meet the compliance and training needs of South Carolina Medical Association members. You can choose the benefits of an onsite program and have an experienced consultant inspect your facility and provide site specific training for your team. Or you can choose the convenience of a web based program for your staff supported by our compliance team. Compliance Information and Best Practices Total Medical Compliance, in partnership with SCMA, will keep you up-to-date on the latest compliance information and best practices. Never has it been so easy to find the latest information. Access to some information and forms may require registration as it is only available to SCMA members and TMC clients. As a SCMA member all you have to do is register by clicking on the button below and your access code will be sent to you by email immediately.

Our office is already registered – take me to the TMC SCMA page. 

Discounts and Promotions

Receive The Advisor – TMC’s Compliance Newsletter

Stay up-to-date with the latest information on OSHA, Infection Control, HIPAA, and other topics of interest to healthcare providers. The newsletters are sent by email monthly.

 Click here to receive your free newsletters.

• Webinars for OSHA Safety and HIPAA Privacy Officers at no charge with manual purchases
• $50 discount for each In-Office Compliance Program with no limit on the number of programs.

TMC In-Office Compliance Programs

Save $50 on each in-office compliance program – no limit on the number of programs

Includes OSHA, HIPAA, eMSDS, Infection Control Reviews

Read more about compliance programs and request a quote for your office. Tell them you are an SCMA member and they will apply your discount when you make the purchase.

OSHA Manuals for $200 – Save $50 on the manual

OSHA requires you to review your manual on an annual basis, make updates as necessary and record this activity.

Use coupon code scma50 at checkout.

OSHA Manuals Are Mandatory. Not having current and complete manuals is in the top 3 for OSHA violations!

OSHA requires every location to have written Bloodborne Pathogens, Hazard Communication and Emergency Action Plans. The TMC manual provides all of the plans required by law and much more. Our manual gives you Infection Control information and includes SC Medical Waste disposal laws as well.

TMC HIPAA Compliance Manuals for $200 – Save $50

The HITECH Act required regulatory changes will continue for 3 or more years meaning that continuous changes in policies and procedures will be required as HHS publishes regulations and begins to enforce the standard as mandated by Congress. This will cover you through 2012 for policies.

Use coupon code scma50 at checkout.

Documented policies and procedures on HIPAA Privacy & Security are mandatory.

The TMC HIPAA Compliance Manual includes all of the updated policies for the changes mandated by the HITECH Act of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 and the latest HHS regulations through April 2011. Just a few of the new or changed policies include the new Breach policies, Business Associate policies, Inappropriate Access policies and Rights to Request a Restriction changes as well as others.

Read more and/or order your OSHA and HIPAA manuals.

Benefits of Being a TMC Client

TMC clients enjoy the piece of mind of knowing they are in compliance when they use TMC programs. They know trained professionals in Client Services are there every day to provide guidance and help quickly when it is needed by phone or email.

Read more about TMC turnkey compliance programs. TMC programs include training, manuals, inspections and support.

Additionally TMC adds value in a number of other ways, saving money and time for our clients:

• Chemical labels for products not in the original containers as required by OSHA
• Providing reduced cost electronic MSDS manuals
• Convenient online programs to minimize lost patient time
• And more.

Join the TMC family of clients. Call Client Services for information or to sign up.

With all of the regulatory changes and new laws, it helps to have an expert helping you keep abreast of the changes. Call TMC for a cost effective solution for your compliance needs.

We free you to focus on patients, not compliance.

Glutaraldehyde – Safe Use & Spill Cleanup

Glutaraldehydes are used in healthcare settings most often to high-level disinfect semi-critical medical devices that are not heat tolerant and thus cannot be placed in an autoclave.

It is important to know how to use glutaraldehyde solutions effectively to ensure items are safe for use on the patient. In addition, it is equally important to know how to use glutaraldehydes safely to prevent personnel and patient exposure to the solution and vapors as glutaraldehyde is a skin, eye, and respiratory irritant. Read more about glutaraldehyde use and clean-up in the event of a spill as well as what OSHA has to say about the safe use of glutaraldehyde.

Read more . . .

Authorizations

Disclosure of protected health information (PHI) without proper patient authorization and/or releasing information when an authorization form does not meet the regulatory requirements are in the top 5 complaint reasons received by Office for Civil Rights (OCR).  Often practices do not realize their authorization process is in violation of the regulation until they receive a patient complaint from the OCR or hear from an angry patient.

Some practices are using a consent process that was replaced in 2003 when the more formal authorization form was adopted.  Practices may allow the patient to list others the practice may talk to about patient PHI in a way that is no longer acceptable. Now even more changes are being made as a result of the HITECH Act and subsequent regulations to implement the law. It is a good time to review the old and new requirements.

Mercury – Spill Prevention & Cleanup

Mercury can be found in a variety of items such as fever thermometers, thermostats, sphygmomanometers, dental amalgam and irons. Breathing mercury vapors can be very dangerous. Small children and pregnant women are at highest risk for mercury poisoning, but mercury poisoning can impact anyone.

Take immediate action to clean-up a spill. Read more on the correct way to clean-up a spill and dispose of the mercury to protect patients, employees and the environment.

Better yet, start now to eliminate Mercury from the office to prevent a possible spill. When it is not possible to eliminate Mercury altogether, take action to store and dispose of it properly. Read more on storage and disposal.

Infectious Waste Disposal – South Carolina

Every practice that generates infectious waste must register with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). You must renew your registration every three years [R.61-105.F(3)]. In 2010 the regulations were updated by SC and those updates do impact small quantity generators. Read more about the requirements and access the new regulations and guidance.

What is your policy on dealing with minors?

Who has control over the records of minors, and under what circumstances, is always a difficult question to answer regardless of the State. One thing is clear, dealing with minors and the parents requires a clear and well thought out policy before a problem arises. This issue is complicated because both State laws and HIPAA take a position on this topic and the issue is always emotional when there is disagreement between the parties. Even when you know all of the applicable laws, it is not always clear which party has legal rights to and control over the health information. Attorneys looking at the same laws often disagree. South Carolina is no exception.

Read more…