September

This is the first of four articles in a series that will take you through what to expect if you are the subject of a billing audit by the Billing Integrity Program.

Being audited, whether by Revenue Canada or the Billing Integrity Program, can be overwhelming. If you are audited your first thoughts are likely to be why am I being audited and what happens now?

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Physicians in the Lower Mainland and on the southern end of Vancouver Island immunize a large proportion of BC infants and children, and physicians in other parts of the province are key informers about immunization even if the immunization service is given by a public health nurse. All providers struggle with how best to approach difficult conversations with parents who are unsure about or opposed to vaccination. Such parents span a spectrum of vaccine hesitancy. They may have questions that can be answered easily, or they may be firmly entrenched in their antivaccination views.

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References

Bruising in children poses a diagnostic challenge to health care providers. Bruising can be caused by an underlying medical condition, accidental injury, or physical abuse. It is estimated that over 50% of children older than 1 year will have bruising from minor accidental injury.[1-4] However, bruising is also the most common injury in children who have been physically abused. Distinguishing accidental bruising from inflicted injury can be difficult for clinicians.

Child maltreatment continues to be a serious problem in Canada today. The most recent Canadian incidence study of child abuse and neglect (2008) identified 235 842 child maltreatment investigations.[1] Of these, 74% focused on possible incidents of abuse or neglect, while 26% concerned risk of future maltreatment. Investigations led to 36% of the cases being substantiated. Of the substantiated cases, 34% involved exposure to intimate partner violence, 34% involved neglect, and 20% involved physical abuse.