This webinar will discuss a law that applies to all hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals and other health care providers such as physician offices and nursing homes. Under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, the law addresses nondiscrimination required signs and notices, interpreters, a civil rights law for health care providers, and more. It forbids discrimination based on sex, race, color, national origin, age, and disability. It builds on long standing and familiar federal civil rights laws. This is the first law to prohibit discrimination based on sex, including gender and gender identity, in covered health programs and activities.
This program will discuss changes by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) to comply with the laws as well as case law regarding several issues important to hospitals.
Laura A. Dixon, BS, JD, RN, CPHRM
Laura A. Dixon served as the director of risk management and patient safety for the Colorado Region of Kaiser Permanente. Prior to joining Kaiser, she served as the director, facility patient safety and risk management and operations for COPIC from 2014 to 2020. In her role, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation and training to facilities, practitioners, and staff in multiple states.
Dixon has more than 20 years of clinical experience in acute care facilities, including critical care, coronary care, peri-operative services, and pain management. Prior to joining COPIC, she served as the director, Western region, patient safety and risk management for The Doctors Company in Napa, California. In this capacity, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation to the physicians and staff for the western United States
As a registered nurse and attorney, Dixon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University, RECEP of Denver, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Drake University College of Law, Des Moines, Iowa, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Saint Luke’s School Professional Nursing, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.
At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:
Describe that the hospital must have a sign with 15 taglines (17 in 4 states and DC), notifying patients of the right to an interpreter at no cost.
Recall that the Office of Civil Rights is the main enforcer of Section 1557.
Discuss that the hospital must have a process for patients wanting to file a grievance related to discrimination.
By attending Complying with OCR Section 1557: Discrimination, Interpreters, Required Signs, and More Webinar offered by Georgia Hospital Association, participants may earn up to 2 ACHE Qualifying Education Hours toward initial certification or recertification of the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) designation. Attendees who wish to have the hours applied toward ACHE Qualifying Education credit must self-report their participation by logging into their MyACHE account and selecting ACHE Qualifying Education Credit.