Documentation & Admin

There’s a considerable amount of company administrative documentation in the form of written policies, electronic data files, and backups needed to accurately operate a private practice and the administrative duties of every position requires some record-keeping whether it be tracking production, statistics, schedules, event calendars, etc.  Sometimes this seems a bit overwhelming with the addition of precise documentation needed for insurance reimbursements, patient medical records, and legal / State personnel and tax records.

What are the best ways to handle internal documentation?

AND…

Are there ways to speed this up?

Always stay current – That’s the key to saving time on it!

To procrastinate only adds time to recall what was done, and documenting actions later may not accurately represent what was done as one may mistakenly add or omit something.  ALWAYS DO IT NOW RATHER THAN LATER.

Here are steps to help ensure one has the proper, current and timely documentation:

• List out the specific administration necessary for each position in your practice. These should be given to each person and included in their job description in the form of a checklist for reference; it is then easily passed on to the next person inheriting that position.  (The HR Director would keep a Master Copy of each in their files.)
• HR Director – Research the legalities and requirements for personnel files, proper employee and contractor documentation as well as the legal employer posters, forms, etc. from your Federal, State and licensing agencies. This information would be typed and kept on file and updated as the laws or requirements change in the future.
• Billing Department Manager – Drill your therapists on the exact documentation needed by your insurance companies. You could simplify this by creating forms specific to insurance billing needs or purchase a computerized administration program to help. When administration is incomplete the therapist would be expected to complete it within a targeted date and time and return it to the Billing Department for insurance reimbursement submissions.  It is vital that your therapists learn to do this correctly without continuous mistakes or omissions as these add time to receiving your valuable reimbursement income as well as consuming the therapist’s time to revise their reports.  (All corrections are done by the therapist, not the Billing Department; The Billing Department’s duty is to submit the claims based on complete information supplied by the therapists.)
• Dedicate a minimum of one hour per week for administration. Have each Departmental Manager also set aside some administration time ensuring their team has proper and legal documentation in place and all is kept up-to-date.
• Inspect the Front Desk’s schedule book, Thank You card mailings, patient emails or text messaging appointment reminders ensuring all is kept current and done in a manner that represents your company and its public relations well.  (Watch for typos, grammar, good manners, etc.)
• Educate your staff to not procrastinate. Create a game or monitoring system checking that all administrative actions are marked as complete each week.  These can be checked at short staff meetings first thing in the morning to get everyone aligned and started on the new day.  Promote this as valuable work needed on time and that getting behind only lessens the ability to move forward easily.
• Have copies of all reports and forms made and kept in a common staff area and have someone assigned to keep it stocked at all times.  (We also keep electronic copies in a file named “office forms” located in a place on the computer system known and accessible to all staff to print and use.)
• Production reports / statistical graphs should be marked weekly for each person to view his / her own work accomplishments and for proper management overview.
• Proper documentation in the form of typed or written notes for all executive and planning meetings should be promptly filed as Management / Corporate minutes within your company legal files.

Copies of such meeting notes are also distributed to those responsible for specific targets   to help ensure all planning and actions are listed and thus accomplished. This keeps all concerned working in coordination regarding future plans and lists their specific actions and participation needed.

Each Manager would keep a watchful eye on this and not leave the week without all proper administration completed for their area.  Beginning a new week with any incomplete administrative documentation for the prior week creates added and unnecessary stress, might hold up other areas of the group, and won’t permit proper management.

Production is of primary importance; immediately following that one must insist on having proper and timely documentation and administration in place for the entire company.

Don’t fall behind or add work-related stress with late or inaccurate documentation.

Stay on top of the game by always maintaining proper and timely business administration.

Ideally one would want to stay ahead of the game!

Craig Ferreira, CEO                                                                                                                            Survival Strategies, Inc