Be Careful With Off-The-Shelf Solutions

By: Jerrie K. Weith, FHFMA

In this modern day of technology, it is relatively simple to go to a website and download materials to help us solve a problem, or buy a “canned” manual with fill-in-the-blanks to help us comply with OSHA or Red Flag.  These can be great tools, but they can also be problematic if you don’t use good judgment. 

• If the materials are downloaded free from a website, make sure you’re comfortable with the source. There are some very reliable sources such as www.physicianspractice.com or www.amdhealthcare.com, but a lot of times you really do “get what you pay for.”
• The same is true of prepackaged manuals ready for you to open and adopt. Be sure the source is good. The manuals will only be as good as the quality of the source.
• If you do decide to purchase a prepackaged manual:
  • Open and review it. The fill-in-the-blanks spaces are really supposed to be completed.
  • Identify when the manual contradicts how your practice operates. Do you modify the manual or how your practice operates?
  • Customize the manual to reflect your office. For instance, in an OSHA manual specify where your eye wash kits are. Once you adopt the manual, you’re confirming that you’re going to adhere to everything in it.
  • Publish the updated manual and train staff accordingly.

 All of us need advice from others.  Taking a short-cut by using materials prepared by others can certainly be helpful and save time.  Just do your homework to ensure you get appropriate advice and materials that are compliant, as well as pertinent, to your specific practice situation.