Employees invited to volunteer for PAL camp

YNHH will sponsor two days of the New Haven Police Athletic League's Summer Camp, 8 am - 3:30 pm Thursdays, July 21 and 28, Wilbur Cross High School. Employees are invited to volunteer at any time during one of these days, during which more than 300 youngsters ages 8 to 13 will learn about the hospital, health and fitness. On July 21, the hospital will host a "Day in the Life" at YNHH, featuring different hospital departments and services. July 28 is health and fitness day, featuring basketball, football, fitness training and a dance party, followed by a nutrition discussion. Visit pal.ynhh.org to sign up. For more information, email [email protected] and/or [email protected].

It's not too late to sign up for Closer To Free

Registration for the Sept. 10 Closer To Free bike ride to benefit Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven is open. Visit rideclosertofree.org to sign up to ride 10, 25, 62.5 or 100 miles, or to donate to a rider or team. Volunteer registration is also available on the site, which includes volunteer job descriptions. All funds raised through the event benefit patient care and research at Smilow. If you have questions about riding, donating or volunteering, email [email protected].

Blood drive July 20, North Haven

The Red Cross will hold a blood drive, 9 am - 2 pm Wednesday, July 20, at YNHH's North Haven Medical Center, 9 Devine St., on the Save-A-Life Bus. To schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code ymcnh, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

Business associate agreements and protection of PHI

If you are contracting with a vendor who will have access to protected health information (PHI) or are made aware that a current vendor may have access to PHI, first speak to the Office of Privacy and Corporate Compliance, 203-688-8416, to confirm there is a business associate agreement before releasing any health information. The media recently reported that Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic of North Carolina agreed to pay $750,000 to settle charges that it potentially violated the HIPAA Privacy Rule by giving PHI for approximately 17,300 patients to a potential business partner in 2013 without first executing a business associate agreement. This is an example of how one lapse in procedure can put an entire organization and the patients they serve at risk.

New outpatient facility to open in Stamford

Early this fall, Greenwich Hospital will open a new outpatient center at 260 Long Ridge Road in Stamford. Greenwich Hospital is leasing 50,000 square feet of space in the Long Ridge Health & Science Center. This new facility is a collaborative effort with Yale Medical Group (YMG) and its Center for Musculoskeletal Care; Northeast Medical Group for primary care services; and Greenwich Hospital for rheumatology and neurology infusion, rehabilitation, full-service radiology and laboratory services. The Center for Musculoskeletal Care will be the anchor service in the facility, with YMG physicians offering multidisciplinary care and expertise in neurology and neurosurgery, rheumatology, sports medicine and care of patients with shoulder, elbow, knee, hand, foot and ankle conditions. Greenwich Hospital will provide physical and occupational therapy services and comprehensive diagnostic imaging: CT, MRI, PET/CT, X-ray, ultrasound and bone densitometry.

Thanks a bundle!

Thanks to YNHH employees' generosity during the Bundle of Joy drive this spring, 100 completed "welcome, baby" kits were donated to families in need. The hospital's Mutual Respect Committee invited employees throughout the hospital to team up with co-workers and create a "bundle" of baby items – including sleepers, baby toiletries, crib sheets and other supplies – for PCC families.