It is helpful to sift through codes and regulations on healthcare if you know what it is you are reviewing. A code is generally a body of laws created by Congress. A regulation is within a group of rules created by an administrative body regulating a specific field. Each group of rules is created by two different bodies.

The regulations in healthcare are usually created by professionals in the field who want better uniformity of the healthcare industry. Each person within the healthcare industry should know the local regulations for healthcare, healthcare safety laws, and general healthcare law and regulations in healthcare to protect himself and his patient.

Remember the following when reviewing healthcare law and regulations:

1. Know what you are looking for when it comes to local regulations for healthcare.

2. Go to the source when needing specifics about codes and regulations for hospitals.

3. Understand the source you are reviewing.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know what you are looking for in healthcare regulations

There are healthcare regulations and codes in many locations and from many regulating bodies. Whether you are looking for a nursing regulation, hospital safety regulation, pharmacology regulation, look to the lawmaking agency. In order to look to the right agency, you need to know exactly what you need to find.

I recommend: Determine what exactly it is you want to know. If it has to do with hospital safety, look to the hospital for help. Each hospital has a legal department. Contact the legal department and ask, "who regulates...?" Find the hospital association in your state at pohly.com. Contact an attorney in the healthcare field. The attorney does this type of work everyday and could save you time. Contact American Health Lawyers Association for classes, attorney references, and other helpful healthcare law issues.

Go to the source

Healthcare safety laws are created by a few different entities. The Nursing board of each state has created what the nursing world calls a 'Practice Act.' The hospitals have their own set of codes and regulations for hospitals set out by state regulating agencies. The state code has the laws set out and many federal laws bear on what a state's code dictates.

I recommend: Go to the nursing board of the state in which you are interested and read the code. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has an easy to use clickable map to find what you need. Check out lawmoose.com for more state healthcare law codes.

Understand what you are reviewing

Often times, the healthcare code is written by the lawmakers. Many of these lawmakers are lawyers and lawyers speak their own language. This language uses common words in a different way. This is called 'legalese.' You must know the legalese to interpret the healthcare code. Similarly, the healthcare law regulations are written by healthcare professionals which have their own understanding of words. Therefore, you must speak legalese and the academic healthcare language.

I recommend: Take a class covering healthcare law procedures through ABAnet.org. These courses will cover the legalese side of healthcare law and regulations. Take a healthcare regulation course through the American Nurses Association. Nursingworld.org offers several courses on healthcare law.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Involve a legal department in your search. It will cut your time and effort down since this is what they do on a daily basis.