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Health Care Law and Regulations

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Health Care Law and Regulations
University of Phoenix
Louise Underhahl
HCS 545 Health Care Law and Ethics 2012

Health Care Law and Regulations One of the areas that are currently affecting the Health Care industry is Regulatory agencies. There is much dissatisfaction over the current state of healthcare in the U.S. Within all of our organizations, regulatory agency surveys are conducted to better the organizations as well as its employees. The purpose of the regulatory surveys is to focus on the areas that need improvement as well as promoting better health care access to the people in the community. Regulatory agencies serve as authority as well as enforcement to regulate laws from the government. Some examples of regulatory agencies are Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA). There are many examples of laws and regulations that are currently being faced in health care. Analysis of health care laws and regulations help one understand their influences on the provider. There are many ways that laws and regulations affect our lives and community. The FDA is responsible for the oversight of drugs, medical devices, vaccines, blood products and biologics, establishing rules for testing, clinical trials and approval of new products. The AHRQ is a federal agency under Health & Human Services working to improve the quality, effectiveness and safety of health care. While the agency OSHA establishes and monitors safety regulations regarding all workers including health care workers. OSHA provides on-site inspections to evaluate workplace hazards, investigates accidents and provides educational materials to promote workplace safety, such as guidelines for working in hot weather. While most agree that health care reform through laws and

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