What types of healthcare facilities can be subject to external audits?

External audits can be conducted on a wide range of healthcare facilities to ensure compliance with regulations and standards. Hospitals, long-term care facilities, and physicians' offices all fall under this umbrella, making them subject to scrutiny from external auditors.

Hospitals, being large institutions that handle significant amounts of patient data and billing, are often audited to ensure adherence to various regulations, including those related to patient privacy, billing practices, and overall operational standards.

Long-term care facilities, which provide services to residents over extended periods, also face audits to verify compliance with quality care standards and regulations that govern the health and safety of their residents.

Similarly, physicians' offices, which manage patient records and billing individually, are not exempt from external audits. These audits can focus on their billing practices, clinical documentation, and overall compliance with healthcare laws, such as HIPAA.

Since each of these types of facilities can be scrutinized to maintain compliance and safeguard patient interests, the correct choice reflects the comprehensive nature of external audits in the healthcare sector.