Introduction, 14 NHBJ, 2014 Spring-Summer, Pg. 4

INTRODUCTION

Vol. 54 No. 3 Pg. 4

New Hampshire Bar Journal

2014

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Spring/Summer, 2014

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The spring/summer issue addresses a variety of topics touching on health care and the law, along with our regular review of New Hampshire Supreme Court decisions, and a detailed roadmap on taking advantage of New Hampshire's trust laws to serve Massachusetts residents, without running afoul of that state's laws.

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Our first article, by McLane law firm attorneys Charla Bizios Stevens and Hannah E. Zaitlin explores the requirements of so-called "administrative simplification" provisions in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that lawyers should heed -both on behalf of clients and potentially for themselves. These stringent rules prevent the disclosure of protected health information and apply to "covered entities" that may do business with law firms. To the extent that law firms come in contact with protected health information, they may too come under HIPAA provisions.

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The second article, by Mark Abramson, Jared Green and Lindsey Gray, offers some policy recommendations to help prevent drug diversion by addicted health care workers, such as occurred at Exeter Hospital recently. The authors argue that a "culture of silence" among health care workers sabotages well-intentioned policies to prevent drug diversion. They advocate requiring random drug-testing for health care workers, given that addiction rates for health care personnel are higher than the general population and the risk of harm is great.

\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Next, Attorney Catherine Tucker, who...