Start Your Home Care Company Off On The Right Foot: Systematize Internal Operations Today
October 26, 2021
systemize your internal operations
Where to Start:
Software
is a good place to start. What software will you be or are you using? And, most importantly, is your staff using the software that way it is designed? All too often, while conducting a due diligence for sale or purchase, we find that a home care agency has a very good software product, but staff is doing “work around” because they want data or information in a different format. Do not allow “work around”! It increases costs and reduces the value of the company.
In addition to “work around”, we discover staff developing tracking sheets in excel or other programs. This only consumes their time and adds very little value to your home care agency. Regularly review all processes in your company for necessity and for value to the company in terms of information or data needed to make decisions. Systems and processes that are not adding value to the decision making process or document needed information need to be discontinued. Conduct a yearly evaluation of your systems and processes to make sure they meet the needs of your home care agency, add value, and are not taking staff time that serves no added value.
The recruitment and retention
system is another internal system that needs to be reviewed and refined annually. As with other systems, the more routine you can make the system, the less time and money it costs. Who is responsible for placing caregiver ads, reviewing submissions to assure applicants meet requirements and for scheduling interviews and testing? When is this done and how many people need to be involved in the system? How often is the system reviewed for potential cost savings? In addition, what is the cost of the retention system? Is it achieving the desired results?
Payroll and billing
is another essential part of the infrastructure. If you are on a computerized system with a good point of care application, most of the billing and payroll will be created when it is time to roll payroll or billing. In addition to the payroll and billing system, the system for collections will have a direct impact on the value of an agency. A sound collections system assures that your home care agency’s accounts receivable are never more than 45 days. This will also increase the value of the home care agency. The more automated your systems, the less the cost is to your operations and the more valuable your agency.
Your management team
also influences the ultimate value of your home care company. Who is responsible for decision making in different areas of the home care agency? Frequently, we find the owner has retained decision making in their position. Failure to invest in your managers and give decision making authority over their areas of
responsibility ultimately makes your company less valuable. Your job, as the owner, is to eventually make yourself obsolete. Doing so places the value in your home care agency – not you – when you’re ready to sell.
If you are having difficulty establishing internal systems that are cost effective and achieve desired results, Kenyon Homecare Consulting
is here to help. Call Ginny Kenyon at 206-721-5091 or contact us online. We are here for you.
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HOPE Question and Answer Repository
Today, this article will look at little different than out typical articles. We all know the costs of losing employees and trying to hire and train new ones. It is exhausting and expensive. So, we think about our wages and benefit packages all the time. What can we do differently that makes people stay? We can’t change the job and we don’t want to keep people that don’t like the work itself. So, how do we acknowledge employees in a way that is valuable to them and that our businesses can afford to do? 5 Things To Consider About Employee Recognition At Your Christmas Party: 1. Years of Service: These can be based on milestone work anniversaries (5, 10, 15 yrs, etc.). If a person has been at your agency 11 years, you pull them up and acknowledge them in the group of employees who have been there at least 10 years up until the time they hit the 15 years landmark. This way longevity is recognized yearly. 2. Special Employee awards: Now, this may be difficult if your staff is very small, but acknowledge the employee who has gone the extra mile in the job they do. Tell the story. The employee needs to know when the employer is proud of the work that has been done. Consider a plaque or certificate. Don’t minimize the value of the employee having them to display. 3. Acknowledge all employees in the mix: Because we are a clinical industry, the administrative staff is often overlooked on day-to-day operations. Ultimately, don’t miss the chance to acknowledge the employee who was able to catch billing errors or collect on a large account. Staff doesn’t like to hear about money, but those types of collections keep Christmas bonuses in place! So, make sure the other staff knows the accomplishments of the finance department or the office manager that every caller loves to speak to. Don't ever forget the IT staff that is on call more than any clinical person in your agency! 4. Letters from the administration: Add a personal note to your staff either collectively or individually depending on the size of your agency. If you are larger, there are employees you don’t often see or get to talk to on a regular basis, so take the time so send a note with that Christmas bonus. 5. Consider the Christmas bonus: Listen, some of you can afford to do substantial monetary bonuses and that is fantastic. However, if you are not in that position, consider something in its place. Maybe small gas cards go with the letter from administration. With the cost of groceries, consider something that helps with the costs of daily living for employees. Big box gift cards in your area will always be used. You may do a lot of these things on a yearly basis to employees. All this being said, it doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons for acknowledgement throughout the year. However, your annual Christmas party is a good way to do it collectively. Between your annual party, write the individual cards to employees when you hear a patient interaction worthy of praise. Or, maybe you buy a gas card for the employee who has picked up extra shifts and always shows up on time. Ultimately, employees will feel valued. You will not regret the time, effort, and energy put into these efforts. Merry Christmas! If you want help with recruitment and retention strategies for your agency, please call Kenyon Homecare Consulting at 206-721-5091 or contact us online today.