We are working on compliling data that will be useful to our practice managers.  We want your input to share with all.

* HERE IS THIS WEEK’S QUESTION (We’ll start with an easy one):

What is your business’ cell phone usage policy?

Please submit your entry in the comment section below.

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13 Responses to “Attention Practice Managers!”

 Marilou Schnaderbeck says:
2010/06/08 at 12:46 am
We currently do not have a written policy regarding cell phone usage. Staff, however, use their phones on breaks and out of ear shot of the workings of the practice.

 Joy E. Krumdiack says:
2010/06/08 at 1:04 am
No problem, we can have them on and answer them if we have time. Otherwise we need to let them go to voice mail and answer them when we do have time.

 Daniel Goetschel says:
2010/06/08 at 1:16 am
cell phones are emergency use only. Must be on vibrate or off. We allow office phone use for short calls only. Family or friends must call office to speak with employees.

 Tom Stickel says:
2010/06/08 at 2:05 am
Cell phones can be on, but must be on vibrate. Employees that do not have face to face patient contact may answer calls, but only briefly. Any call required to last more than a minute must be called back during the employee’s break.

Employees who have face to face patient contact, must let their calls go to voice mail and call their party back when on break away from patient care area.

 Nicolemp says:
2010/06/08 at 2:55 am
Cell phones are required to be turned off during business hours, except on employee break times. All incoming phone calls are to be made to the office phone, and should be reserved for urgent and emergency issues. The employees are permitted to leave their work area if coverage is not a problem and take the personal call in the break room.

 pam skalaban says:
2010/06/08 at 5:45 am
In our office cells phones are or emergency use only. I allow one of the back lines to be given out to family members, babysitters, etc. in case of an emergency and a staff member has to be reached. I feel it is very unprofessional and too tempting to allow usage. Texting is silent and can be very distracting.

 Daniel Schroder says:
2010/06/08 at 6:08 pm
we allow people to carry their phone in silent mode, and to use them if Need warrants. The official policy is no cell phone useage, but in reality most employees have their phones close by and use them at lunch and in family situations.

 Deannine Bezio says:
2010/06/08 at 10:33 pm
Our policy on cell phone usage is…there is no usage!
“Do what every you would like when you are on your break. I am not paying you to talk or text on your cell phone.
It needs to be shut off when you are working.” If there is an emergency or important call, they are allowed to give out our office phone number. I have never had an issue with abuse of the office phone.

 Benjamin Atkinson says:
2010/06/09 at 10:58 pm
I consult to several practices and have recommended these rules around mobile phone use:

Mobile phones must be set to vibrate or silent. Personal calls can be made during breaks or lunch or for approved reasons.

Employees are encouraged to have emergency calls placed through the office phone.

 Margaret Porter says:
2010/06/10 at 4:50 am
We ask that they keep their phones on vibrate. We also ask that they not be in plain site or in patient view. We dont want the patients to feel like they are not being seen because staff is on a cell phone. My doctors use them so its hard to say absolutely no cell phone usuage. We do encourage our office phone to be used for any emergency calls.

 Kristin Harbaugh says:
2010/06/11 at 9:13 pm
We ask that all employees turn their phones off upon arriving at their work stations. All emergent calls are requested to go through our practice’s private line. If an employee fails to honor our company policy on cell phone usage they are given one warning prior to asking that their phone not accompany them to the workplace.

 Linda Martin says:
2010/06/15 at 12:50 am
Since we have 57 employees and I can’t watch each one and can’t trust they will not be texting on company time, we require NO cell phone usage during business hours. The employees are asked to give out a back line for family so they can be contacted in case of an emergency, otherwise they are to use their cell before clocking in at 8, during their noon hour or after 5 pm. The providers and managers are exempt since the other locations and hospitals have to contact them by this means, but the other employees are prohibited from cell phone usage.

 Kerry Agler says:
2010/07/13 at 12:18 am
Our policy is no cell phone usage during work hours, unless on lunch or break. Employees are asked to keep their cell phones on vibrate. We have a large staff, and request personal phone calls be made on breaks only.