Embezzlement is easy in a medical office because little amounts come through every day, many of them in cash, and $5 here or $10 there doesn't get missed. The scheme can be as simple as a staffer walking off with a bit of cash now and then. But it can also be elaborate. Somebody sets up a fictitious vendor and writes checks to the bogus company. Or somebody sets up a bank … [Read more...] about Are employees embezzling funds from your medical practice?
Risk management
After a relationship with a disruptive patient ends
Your practice terminated a relationship with a disruptive patient, and everything went smoothly—or so you thought, until negative comments about the practice started showing up on social media. Disgruntled consumers of all kinds of services, including health care, have an outlet for their frustration. Actually, they have numerous outlets, including Facebook, Yelp, Scam.com, … [Read more...] about After a relationship with a disruptive patient ends
It’s not me, it’s you: 5 office policies to break up with
By Paul Edwards bio Springtime may mean that love is in the air, but your office can't hesitate to dump a policy that creates problems. Some policies are so blatantly unenforceable, they shouldn't even have gotten past the first date! If any of these are in your employee handbook, it's time to say, "Let's not even be friends anymore." #1: "Employee salaries are … [Read more...] about It’s not me, it’s you: 5 office policies to break up with
Are 5 common, but undiscussable, workplace behaviors putting your patients at risk?
A new study by VitalSmarts suggests that slackers, timid supervisors, toxic peers, and arrogant doctors are common in healthcare. But, while frustrating, these behavior problems aren't the real problem. The real problem in healthcare is silence. VitalSmarts’ study of workplace drama in healthcare found that while most employees and physicians frequently witness these … [Read more...] about Are 5 common, but undiscussable, workplace behaviors putting your patients at risk?
Manage your medical office’s holiday party liability risks
You may be hosting a big holiday party for your employees this December. And, like many medical offices do, you may be serving liquor at that party. That's fine. Just make sure you understand what you're getting yourself into. Relax. We're not going to lecture you on the dangers of drinking and driving. No sense preaching to the choir. But what we can do to help you out is … [Read more...] about Manage your medical office’s holiday party liability risks
Just how truthful is that applicant’s resume? Here’s how to find out
There's always tough competition for a good job. And sometimes, to beat out the competition, people do more than brush up their resumes. Some fabricate the facts to get in a better position for winning a job. But there's a way to sort out the facts from the fiction, says Michelle Taylor, PhD, of Taylor Consulting in Huntington Beach, CA, a company that provides psychological … [Read more...] about Just how truthful is that applicant’s resume? Here’s how to find out
Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff
Every manager is aware of the wider doorways and lever handles and curb cuts and so on required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And every manager is aware of providing accommodations for employees. But not every manager is aware of the less obvious ADA requirements that apply to electronic job applications, says Beth Loy, PhD, principal consultant with the Job … [Read more...] about Avoid these tricky ADA pitfalls when hiring staff
How to handle an angry patient
In a medical practice, an angry patient – and sometimes a really angry patient – is apt to appear any time. In a business such as a fast food restaurant, anger is minimal, because the customers don't have high expectations to begin with, says Bob Rose, PhD, of the Rose Porterfield Group, a Dallas business consulting and industrial psychology organization. But when it comes to … [Read more...] about How to handle an angry patient
Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
Is your practice HIPAA compliant? Are you sure? Most health-care providers take very seriously this federal mandate to protect patient privacy—at least in theory. In practice, however, lots of things get missed. "When HIPAA was new and everyone was going to lectures and conferences and getting training, everyone was on top of it," says Erika Adler, an attorney specializing in … [Read more...] about Six HIPAA violations you may be missing
8 traps to avoid when investigating a sexual harassment complaint
Don't rush to judgment—in either direction Back in the bad old days when employers didn't take sexual harassment seriously, harassment complaints were ignored or swept under the rug. To the extent they were investigated at all, the tendency was to downplay the complaint as exaggeration, fabrication or oversensitivity on the part of the victim. The good news: Today's employers … [Read more...] about 8 traps to avoid when investigating a sexual harassment complaint