Hello!
Welcome to the August 2008 issue of THE PATHFINDER.
Regular readers of this newsletter know that they can expect to see it arrive generally in the latter part of the month. Somehow August has just gotten away from me! My heavy travel schedule has put me in a time crunch. I know that I am not alone in attempting to master time management, but I do not like exhibiting my struggle in public!
I begin with two apologies:
• During last month's tele-seminar question and answer period, one of the participants asked me about hospital reimbursement penalties for readmission. I said that reimbursement was eliminated if the patient was readmitted within 30 days of discharge. I WAS WRONG. I want to make sure that I correct the information that I shared with the participants. Medicare gives the hospital a three day (72 hour) window. If the patient does not get readmitted during the 72 hour period for the same diagnosis, the hospital gets full payment on the next admission, even if it is for the same diagnosis. I will certainly try not to "shoot from the hip" in the future!
• Several of you were unable to reach me by e-mail following the tele-seminar. I do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. The issues with my host site for my e-mail system have been resolved.
Since I started this newsletter out with an apology, I thought I would share some resources with you on the art of the apology.
You may have read several years ago a book, Healing Words: The Power of Apology in Medicine by Michael Woods, MD. This is absolutely one of my most favorite books (http://www.pohly.com/books/healingwords.html) as it focuses on the intimate relationship we have with our patients and how complelling it is for us to apologize when we make an error. Aside from buying copies for everyone, I have been at a loss as to how to help agencies develop the needed skills to apologize when we have made an error.
I'm excited to tell you that I have recently found a free resource for you to use in training your staff, The Five Languages of Apology In the Workplace - A Team Building Resource.
http://www.bcwinstitute.com/press/ApologyStudyGuide_Workplace.pdf
Apologies are good for business. "Creating a positive emotional work environment enhances the productivity of employees. Thus, a company that has the vision not only of apologizing to customer and clients but teaching employees how to apologize effectively to one another is the company that is more likely to succeed in accomplishing its financial objectives." (quote from The Five Languages of Apology In the Workplace - A Team-Building Resource). You may want to consider including this topic on your list of planned training for the year.
So it is on this Labor Day weekend that I wish all of you a sunny, warm weekend with the smell of hamburgers on the grill, the whir of the ice cream maker on the patio and laughter of friends and family around you.
If we can provide you with any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best wishes, Beth Carpenter
“Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success.” David O. McKay |
