Medical Records for Paralegals: Advanced Issues and Answers

Agenda / Content Covered

1. HIPAA Tips: How to Quickly Obtain Medical Records
   10:00 - 11:00, Mila Carlson
   1. Strategies for Obtaining Confidential Information
   2. Tricks Medical Providers Use to Limit What They Give You
   3. Dealing With Difficult Medical Providers
   4. Obtaining a Complete Set of Medical Records
   5. What to Do When a Provider Produces Records for the Wrong Patient
   6. Digging Deep: Finding Additional Patient Information
   7. Plaintiff vs. Defense: Tips for Both Perspectives
2. Cleverly Organizing Medical Records
   11:15 - 12:15, Susie McGregor-Huyer
   1. Creative Ways to Organize Medical Records
   2. Organizing for Use in the Office vs. Trial
   3. Handling Voluminous Records
   4. Organizing Medical Records From Different Facilities
   5. Tracking Updates; Maintaining the Records
3. Maintaining HIPAA Compliance in the Office
   12:15 - 1:15, Mila Carlson
   1. HIPAA Update for Paralegals
   2. Electronic Storage of Medical Records
   3. Data Privacy and Security
   4. Preventing and Responding to Breaches
   5. Best Practices, Policies, and Procedures
   6. Storing Medical Records
   7. Discarding Medical Records
4. Deciphering Medical Records and Bills: Pointers From a Pro
   1:45 - 2:45, Susie McGregor-Huyer
   1. Complex Medical Abbreviations and Terms
   2. Detangling Medical Billing and Coding
   3. Useful Details That Are Easy to Overlook
   4. Finding Discrepancies and Other Red Flags
   5. Handling Inconsistencies in Medical Records
   6. Effectively Distinguishing Objective From Subjective Findings
   7. Handling Problematic Medical Notes
5. Advanced Medical Chronologies
   2:45 - 3:45, Susie McGregor-Huyer
   1. Creating a Detailed Medical Records Chronology
   2. Enhancing Your Medical Chronology and Summary Memorandum
   3. Finding the Holes in Plaintiff's Medical Treatment
   4. Finding Alternative Reasons for Plaintiff's Claims
   5. Maintaining and Updating
6. Legal Ethics for Paralegals
   4:00 - 5:00, Mila Carlson
   1. Communicating With Clients
   2. Conflicts of Interest
   3. Medical Records and HIPAA Compliance
   4. Ethical Issues and Responsibilities in Billing
   5. Dealing With Impaired Clients

Accreditation Details:

Mila Carlson PhD, MSHSA is the founder and president of Mila Carlson & Associates, P.C., Nurse Consulting/Nurse Life Care Planning, based in Rockford, Illinois. They assist defense or plaintiff attorneys with any medical-related cases, such as medical malpractice, personal injury, criminal or family law; as well as preparing life care plans/medical cost projections/Medicare Set Asides (MSAs), and providing expert witness testimony for these plans. Ms. Carlson has served as adjunct faculty for the University of St. Francis. She is a member of the Alpine Kiwanis Club of Rockford and has served on the Board of Directors, as well as the Charities Committee. Ms. Carlson's professional affiliations include the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners, and the National Alliance of Medicare Set-Aside Professionals (NAMSAP). She earned her nursing degree from the SwedishAmerican Hospital School of Nursing, Rockford, Illinois, her Bachelor of Science in health arts and Masters of Science in health services administration from the University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois; and her Ph.D. in health administration from Warren National University, Cheyenne, Wyoming. Ms. Carlson also completed her legal nurse consulting course and certification exam through the Vickie Milazzo Institute and her life care planning and Medicare set-aside courses through Kelynco. She is a frequent lecturer to both paralegals and attorneys on her areas of practice and ethics.

 

Susie McGregor-Huyer is the founder and principal of Medical Damages, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Medical Damages is a Life Care Planning and Nurse Consulting business designed to assist attorneys and insurance companies in looking both forward and backward in medically related cases in the areas of Personal Injury, Workers Compensation and Medical Malpractice. Ms. McGregor-Huyer has both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Nursing. Post graduate educational experience includes Legal Nurse Consulting, Forensic Nursing, Medicare Set Asides, Nurse Life Care Planning, Geriatrics and Case Management. Ms. McGregor-Huyer also has experience as a Paramedic, Emergency and Critical Care nursing, and is currently clinically active in Hospice and Assisted Living/Memory Care. Affiliations include American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners, International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, Juris Education, Research and Knowledge, and PATH International. She is a frequent lecturer to paralegals and attorneys in the areas of nursing, medical records analysis and ethics.