Why It Is A Smart Move To Have A Risk Management Checklist

How often do you think about risk management? How much importance do you place on having adequate safeguards in your practice to prevent unwanted incidents? I suspect your malpractice insurance company wants it to be a top priority for you but is it?

By definition, the term risk management specifies a function that helps to identify, evaluate, prevent and control threats that result in loss to the practice or injury to patients, staff or visitors. This includes but is not limited to areas dealing with economics, claims management, patient care, general operations and systems, human resources, safety and emergency preparation, legal records and social media. Think of it as a “damage control” program.

At the very least, you should be concerned. Make it a point to check and authorize some activities that you sometimes take for granted. Ask questions (similar to those shown below), be more observant of existing dangers and make necessary changes to correct them. Finally, do not wait until an unfortunate incident happens and you have to deal with the aftermath before taking the necessary precautions. Be proactive. Do something now.

While it is impossible to provide a complete, comprehensive summary of potential risks to your practice in a short blog, I can share just a few examples of the questions you should be asking to assess your current status. After you ask yourself “Do we …?” in each instance, follow up with, “How likely or severe would the outcome be if something happened?” and “What do we need to do to prevent it from happening?” Tackle one section at a time, but for everyone’s sake, get it done.

Take the advice of American systems engineer, consultant and author Tom Gilb, who said: “If you do not actively attack the risks, they will actively attack you.”

Economics

1. Do we have adequate safeguards in place to prevent embezzlement?
2. Do we have accurate monitoring and assessment of our account receivables?

Claims management

1. Do our doctors and staff receive proper coding education?
2. Does our office conduct routine internal claim audits?

Patient care

1. Do we clearly and thoughtfully communicate with our patients?
2. Do we follow up with “no-show” appointments and test results, and properly document the patient’s record?

General operations and systems

1. Do we ensure that all personal health information (PHI) records are password protected? Do we change our passwords regularly?
2. Do we have Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines in place? Do we enforce them?

Human resources

1. Do we properly screen new employees?
2. Do we have an effective orientation and training program?

Safety and emergency preparation

1. Do we have action plans in place to cover all emergency situations?
2. Do we properly educate our staff in bloodborne pathogen standards and provide them with necessary personal protective equipment (PPE)?

For a more expansive list, email me at lynn@soshms.com . You will want to share with this your staff as well.