In all aspects of a person’s life, the first of the year affords an opportunity to “start fresh,” begin again, and resolve to improve. Every year, I humbly suggest all business owners and managers take a look at their organizations, take stock in what they’ve accomplished, consider opportunities for improvement, and resolve to make the next year better than the last one.
Topics: Personnel Files, Quality Improvement, Showroom, Retail, Warehouse, Business Practices, Marketing
Last month, we looked at fire safety in the DME industry. Safe oxygen storage and fire prevention/safety were mentioned, but not in the detail a subject so important deserves and requires. Handling, providing, storing, processing, and manufacturing oxygen comes with its own unique set of potential hazards and therefore its own set of guidelines and safety measures.
I’ve known two DME owners whose businesses were destroyed by fire. In one case, a consulting customer of mine owned a DME in a Upstate New York strip plaza. Two doors down was a laundromat and fire broke out and actually traveled through the walls. The structure remained standing, but their inventory and the entire interior of their storefront were destroyed by smoke and water, despite the best efforts of the fire department. The second case was a business in the south, located in a rented warehouse in a rather remote location. The fire was arson, and investigators eventually prosecuted the building’s owner for arson and insurance fraud. In both cases, the businesses had adequate insurance, and the owners rebuilt. However, in both cases, the owners bemoaned their losses, suffered terrible inconvenience, and recounted stories of the irreparable harm the fires did to their operations.
Topics: Warehouse, Safety Officer, Disaster Preparedness, Emergencies
Many in the home medical equipment industry equate policy manuals to their accreditation inspections. And of course, these bulky tomes are certainly a large part of the accreditation and survey experience for every DME. Policy manuals serve as the road map for how work gets done within an organization, a set of rules for the organization, and the document that defines the structure, function, and philosophy of the organization. Let’s look at what a policy manual should contain and how it impacts not only accreditation, but also the overall day-to-day operation of an organization.
Topics: Employee Training, HIPAA, Security, Personnel Files, Quality Improvement, Billing, Renewing Accreditation, Quality Standards, HQAA Accreditation, HME Accreditation Requirements, Patient File Requirements, Compliance, Patient Privacy, Clinical Practice Guidelines, Materials Management, Avoiding Deficiencies, CMS, Complaint Process, Quality Care, Showroom, Retail, Delivery, Clinical Respiratory Services, Oxygen, Warehouse, Safety Officer, Competence, Customer Service, Disaster Preparedness, Emergencies, Business Practices, Marketing
“Cheers to a new year and another chance to get it right” --Oprah Winfrey
Topics: Quality, Employee Training, HIPAA, Personnel Files, Quality Improvement, Billing, Quality Standards, Patient File Requirements, Compliance, Patient Privacy, Process Improvement, Materials Management, Avoiding Deficiencies, Showroom, Retail, Delivery, Warehouse, Safety Officer
Say the word “warehouse” to many people, and you conjure up images of a dark, dusty, damp place with rows of equipment and boxes, piled to the ceiling. A home medical equipment company’s warehouse certainly can be the source of problems, deficiencies with standards, safety hazards, and infection control issues. But with just a little planning, some elbow grease and hard work, and a bit of ongoing monitoring, you can turn your warehouse into a clean, safe, even pleasant environment that improves operational efficiencies and helps your employees do their job well.
Topics: Compliance, Avoiding Deficiencies, Warehouse
Say the word “warehouse” and many people conjure up images of a dark, dusty, damp place with rows of equipment and boxes piled to the ceiling.
A home medical equipment company’s warehouse certainly can be the source of problems, deficiencies with standards, safety hazards, and infection control issues. But with just a little planning, some elbow grease, and a bit of ongoing monitoring, you can turn your warehouse into a clean, safe, even pleasant environment that improves operational efficiencies and helps your employees do their job well.
Topics: Quality Improvement, HME Accreditation Requirements, Avoiding Deficiencies, Warehouse
Almost everywhere we look today, we see superheroes. With Halloween nipping at our heels, the stores are advertising how we can dress up like the Hulk, or Catwoman, or Captain America. Heroes seems to have a pretty high profile right now in movies, books, video games and marketers tell us all the time that we can be just like them.
Topics: Security, Materials Management, Retail, Warehouse, Safety Officer
