By Lynne Curry bio Question For weeks, “Carolyn” told the five of us in our department that she had allergies whenever any of us asked her about her sneezing. She worked with us in the same building, used the same copier, restroom and office fridge and handled the same coffeepot. I tried to avoid her because she kept forgetting her mask and didn’t seem to understand what six … [Read more...] about Coworker exposed all of us to COVID-19
Workplace Safety
Here’s new guidance on COVID-19 and FLSA
By Mike O’Brien bio For managers in charge of HR, the so-called lazy days of summer have been anything but lazy, as they strive to adapt to the COVID era and stay up to date on seemingly constant new government guidances. The Department of Labor has provided more information for employers regarding pandemic-related wage and hour issues. Specifically, the agency answered … [Read more...] about Here’s new guidance on COVID-19 and FLSA
How to create and implement a mandatory face mask policy at your medical office
What began as a CDC guideline is evolving into a legal duty with more than 20 states and countless municipalities across the country adopting laws requiring individuals to wear masks or face coverings in enclosed indoor public spaces, including medical offices. As a result, medical offices must adopt and enforce mandatory mask policies at their facilities. While mask … [Read more...] about How to create and implement a mandatory face mask policy at your medical office
Use contact logging to ensure medical office employees practice social distancing
Managing a medical office compliance program in the age of COVID-19 poses new and unprecedented challenges. One of the biggest and most important is ensuring that employees and the persons they interact with on the job follow social distancing requirements. To succeed in this effort, you must have the capability to track actual encounters. One possibility is digital technology, … [Read more...] about Use contact logging to ensure medical office employees practice social distancing
Tool: Model COVID-19 Contact Log Sheet
Maintaining social distancing will be the price that medical offices and other businesses will have to pay to reopen and remain open until the COVID-19 threat goes away. But for social distancing to work, there must be a way to track and analyze actual encounters between people at your facility. One simple way to gather the essential data is to have employees and visitors … [Read more...] about Tool: Model COVID-19 Contact Log Sheet
Feds say insurers not required to pay for employer return to work COVID-19 testing
Since the public health emergency began, the US government has taken the position that insurers shouldn’t be allowed to make consumers pay for COVID-19 lab tests. But now comes news that insurers will not be put in that same position with regard to return to work screening conducted on employees by their employers. FFCRA rules for COVID-19 test payment The key piece of … [Read more...] about Feds say insurers not required to pay for employer return to work COVID-19 testing
Model COVID-19 Exposure Control Plan
Regulators have made it clear that workplaces must implement written plans to control COVID-19 exposure risks at the site. Here’s a Model Plan template your medical office can adapt that provides for the necessary protections. … [Read more...] about Model COVID-19 Exposure Control Plan
How to create a COVID-19 exposure control plan
For as long as COVID-19 remains a threat, businesses—both essential and nonessential—won’t be allowed to re-open and remain open unless they implement a plan to control workplace infection risks. While infection control is nothing new for medical offices, the challenges posed by COVID-19 are unprecedented and unique and you probably won’t find any great templates in your … [Read more...] about How to create a COVID-19 exposure control plan
Updating protocols for rep engagement and communication
By Jeremy Gilman bio We have heard from many practices how difficult it is to stay on top of the ever-evolving guidelines and best practices for how to provide excellent patient care in a pandemic. Here are some patterns we’ve seen emerge within our community of thousands of medical practices: 1. Vendor/rep-specific protocols: As your practice continues to monitor the risk of … [Read more...] about Updating protocols for rep engagement and communication
Doctors & nurses eager to get back to work despite COVID-19 anxieties
Layoffs and furloughs are a new thing for many medical professionals who’ve come to expect stability in their employment. So, it’s not surprising that a new survey suggests that medical professionals are eager to end lockdowns and get back to work; but like workers in so many other industries, the prospect of going back to work while COVID-19 remains at large is tinged with … [Read more...] about Doctors & nurses eager to get back to work despite COVID-19 anxieties