Applies to:  All Employees
 
All employees will use the following phone etiquette when answering or placing calls.  ALWAYS identify yourself to the person answering the call or that you are calling.  For example, “Good Morning, this is “Mary”, may I speak with XXXXX?  Thank you.” OR, “ This is “Mary”, how may I help you?”
 
Though some staff have their own phone, many do not and there may be multiple people who use an extension.  If you do have your own extension, you may not always be the person answering your extension. Please make certain the person on the other end of the phone knows who you are.  Also, please share your smile, it’s amazing that it does come across to the caller!

Applies to:  All Employees
 
Former employees are not allowed in ANY patient area unless they are here as a patient.   This constitutes a HIPAA violation and cannot be tolerated.  If you are meeting a former employee for lunch or other purpose, please make arrangements to meet them in the lobby area. 

Applies to: Billing; Clinic Supervisors, Front Office Leads, Doctors
 
For reasons of compliance, whenever this is the discovery for a need to make a correction, addition, deletion, addendum, or other change, that will involve billing – charges, claim submission or resubmission, reviews, audit requests, etc. – and this request is being made after the physician has already signed the record for the day in question, the requested change must receive the authorization of the physician of record.
 
The format of the request should be as follows:
 
The person requesting the change should address their email to the physician of record.  The request should include the specific changes that are desired and the reason(s) why the changed is required.
 
The following people should be copied on the request:  CEO, Billing Lead and Medical Records Lead.  Once the physician agrees to the changes – or denies the request, or suggests and/or requests other edits by email, it is the Medical Records Lead who will effect the necessary changes to the record.  She will subsequently email all affected parties when her changes have been implemented so that our billing staff can take those steps needed to accomplish their tasks.
 
If appropriate, such requests for changes may be shared with technical staff for training/quality assessment and improvement purposes.
 
Closely following this policy is essential from a compliance standpoint as the OIG and CMS are placing much greater emphasis on the review of chart edits going forward due to the increasing adoption of EMR Systems.