With April Fools day upon us, it brings to mind an April Fools joke that went bad. Years ago I had kidnapped a co-workers stuffed animal. I then took pictures of it in various positions, ie. Next to a knife, next to a gun, in a frying pan, etc. Each day I would put a different ransom note on her desk with one of the pictures. We all had a good laugh. We now have a co-worker who has a little duck on her desk that she cherished as an old friend gave it to her. I decided to do the whole kidnapping thing again. I took the duck after she left for the day, brought it home, put it on my kitchen table and was going to get my camera and all the props. I was distracted by a phone call, getting dinner ready, etc, etc. Later that evening, I got ready to do the pictures and ransom notes and THE DUCK WAS GONE!!!!!. I searched everywhere and getting more panicky by the minute. I finally found the duck. My dog had gotten it off the table and chewed the head. Now I am feeling awful because I know how much this little duck meant to her. All I could do was fess up, so I wrapped the ducks head in a bandage, put a little drop of red fingernail polish on it and tell her what happened the next day. Lucky for me she saw the humor in it , and she now cherishes the duck even more.
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Check Your Compliace with Blood Borne Pathogen and Hazard Communication Standard |
Back in 1992 OSHA enacted the Blood Borne Pathogen (BBP) and Hazard Communication Standards. At the time Practice Managers became well familiar with the regulations, filled out the appropriate forms and did what was necessary to come into compliance. And then most practices likely forgot about them.
I am working on a “What makes a GREAT Practice Manager” whitepaper. This will be a collaborative effort of many practice manager contacts to be used for several purposes, including but not limited to: Practice Manager’s teaching a class, Doctors trying to find the perfect fit for a position and a Managers guide to live by. If any of you have any ideas you would like to contribute to this paper please reply these ideas via this blog. All ideas used will be credited to you in the white paper when published. Please also let us know if it is acceptable to have our writer contact you for more information if necessary (interview, or clarification of your idea, etc).
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The Role of the Office Manager in Branding and Marketing |
“Branding” is a great way to improve any medical practice. Yet, physicians may not be that skilled in the areas of marketing and public relations. That is where a savvy Practice Manager or Office Manager comes into play. As the main point of contact between the medial practice and the public, the PM can be crucial in establishing and maintaining the brand identity for the office and the physician within.
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The Implanted Bandit - Why The "Red Flags" Rule Matters |
The Implanted Bandit – Why The “Red Flags” Rule Matters
A recent incident in Orange County, CA highlights why the FTC’s “Red Flags” rule instituted in August of 2009 is so important. Last month, a young woman was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 3 years probation for ID theft. She opened a $12,000 credit line in another woman’s name and used it to pay for replacement breast implants and liposuction.
The staff at the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery became suspicious after Ms. Pampellonne failed to show for her follow up appointments. Detectives ended up tracking her down using the serial number on her old implants. It is unclear how the outstanding debt will be resolved. Will the loan company seek restitution from the surgeon?
If the credit application was filled out at the doctor’s office, that is a possibility. For example, what if staff members failed to check Pampellonne’s drivers license or other photo ID against the information on the loan application before sending it in for processing? An argument might be made that they didn’t take appropriate steps to prevent fraud. Of course, if the thief set up the credit account herself via an online application the surgeon’s office would not be to blame.
Protect Yourself and Your Patients
Every medical office that extends credit or facilitates patient access to credit lines must be diligent in detecting suspicious activity. If you haven’t created written procedures for your ID Theft Prevention Program, get on that right away! Medical ID theft has serious consequences for patients above and beyond a wrecked credit history. Here’s a great educational article from the FTC that outlines some of the red flags healthcare providers should watch out for.
Do you have a “red flag” story to tell? Let us know how your savvy employees caught an ID thief in the act.
Free Red Flags Rule White paper Here