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and any revision in policies and procedures that have been made to adapt to the evolution of the virus. Docu- ment all training provided to staff and maintain records in administrative files.
Team Briefs: Conduct daily staff briefs/huddles
and end-of-day debriefs. This provides all staff oppor- tunities to discuss anticipated issues during the day
and identify concerns, pre- and post-clinic, including COVID-19 updates. (See TeamSTEPPS Fundamentals.) Acknowledge the need to provide emotional support to staff who may be dealing with fear or other stressors through employee assistance programs or other support mechanisms. Communicate resources to employees.
Managing Legal Risks
Worldwide, COVID-19 cases are approaching 200 million, with global deaths reaching 4.2 million. Within U.S. borders, almost 35 million Americans have been afflicted, with the number of deaths surpassing 611,000. The potential influx of variants in the U.S. will continue to present unique challenges. Government authorities in some states will mandate additional restrictions of pub- lic activities, while other states, conversely, will likely maintain unrestricted business operations. Medical of- fices will continue to face multiple challenges, including in-pandemic rules for operation, managing sick employ- ees, and the provision of “catch-up” care for patients
who had clinical services postponed while offices were closed, or who have put off contacting their healthcare provider because of fears.
The bottom line: even with the availability of the vaccine, medical practices must not let their guard down with complacency. Because this continues to be
a moving target, all healthcare providers and facilities must remain well-informed and current on public health guidance for screening protocols and patient manage- ment, as well as regulatory requirements impacting their practices. Continued careful screening with a bias for suspicion that a patient might have COVID-19 will serve healthcare providers well in this situation.
As we move forward, we emphasize that keeping office policies and procedures current while following recom- mended guidelines, with documentation of adherence in both administrative files and medical records, is key to litigation defense in the future.
The dynamics surrounding the virus will continue to evolve, particularly with the spread of variants and as the population is vaccinated. What must not change is that healthcare providers and care teams should remain vigilant and adapt their practices accordingly. They should remain exceptionally proactive in asking the right questions, documenting interactions, rigorously following protocols, and keeping abreast of emerging in- sights and data as they become available from the CDC.
MEET THE MINDS
Detroit Stroke Digital Conference
November 3, 2021 • 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To register, please go to: http://www.henryford.com/detroitstrokeconference
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | WWW.OCMS-MI.ORG
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