Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. services. Specifically, the process for reporting problems must be carefully described in written. The following questions must be addressed with as much detail as possible: • Who should receive reports of problems with Services at the agency? • When is it appropriate to make reports of risk factors? • What are appropriate time frames for making such reports? • In what form should reports to Agency be made? • How and to whom should reports to Agency be communicated? Likewise, the obligations of our staff with regard to problems should also be delineated. Specifically, staff/contracts should establish detailed time frames for both responses from Agency and resolution of problems. Likewise, when agency staff members, patients' primary caregivers, and/or patients themselves do not adequately understand how to operate care devices, or provide high tech services, liability for negligence may result. Again, these issues may be addressed in some detail in Education Programs between our agency and staff. Training of staff members, primary caregivers, and/or patients must be carefully described in services report. The more detail that is included in all orientation materials regarding training, the greater protection from potential risk for the agency. Consequently, Training should spell out at a minimum answers to the following questions: • Who will provide training on behalf of the Agency? • What training will the Agency provide? • What is the specific schedule for training conducted by Agency personnel? • Who will monitor training provided by Agency to help ensure effectiveness? • What mechanisms such as post-tests will be used to evaluate effectiveness of training provided by the Agency? • What recourse do agencies have if it appears that training provided by contractor Educator is inadequate or ineffective? • What process will be followed when agency document deficits in knowledge after initial training has been completed successfully? If we fail to address these crucial issues of Services or Test Equipment and training, their risk of liability for negligence due to injury or damage to patients is likely to be enhanced. Liability for Abandonment Home Care Agencies have always been very sensitive to the possibility of liability for abandonment of patients. Home Health Agency Nursing Manual J-70