What goes into a Personnel File in Home Health?
I recently watched a webinar that listed the top ten reasons home health companies get citations on their surveys. Number One of those is that the personnel records fail to capture critical data assuring employees have all they need to be legally employed.
After discussing it with some Home Health friends, I realized that this is a very difficult area for many administrators.
Some things are obvious, and they go into the file one time, such as applications for employment and reference checks. Other items must be renewed periodically, so the person in charge of human resources must be able to track that these are done consistently and on time.
So where do you start? The logical answer in my mind is to build a checklist and use it consistently with each employee file to be sure it is completed during the hiring and orientation process. Then develop a system for updating documentation in a timely manner.
We can start with a basic checklist but you will also want to check with your state and Fiscal Intermediaries to be sure they don’t have additional requirements. As part of your personalized checklist, I would suggest including contact information for any third party resources you use or have contractual agreements with in your area, such as fingerprinting agencies, drug testing companies, etc.
Be sure all forms are correctly completed, signed and dated before they go into a file. And be sure files are secured to prevent any risk of HIPPA violation or Identity Theft.
Sample Personnel Folder Checklist
___ Application for employment
___ Documentation of reference checks
___ Statement of Employability (this is a standardized form in TX which outlines the specific convictions that would bar an employee from working in Home Care) It is often part of the application form.
___ Criminal History Background Check
___ I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
___ Copy of Social Security Card
___ W-4 Tax withholding form
___ Signed Job Description
___ Competency Skills Checklist
___ Competency Test (if used)
___ Orientation Checklist (we will address this in an upcoming newsletter)
___ Employee Acknowledgment of receiving and reviewing required documents, (P&P, Orientation Checklists, etc)
___ Copy of Professional Licensure, Certification related to profession or
___ Verification of Professional Licensure, as required by State
___ Current CPR
___ Current Vehicle license
___ Current Vehicle Insurance
___ Non-Solicitation or Non-Competition agreements
___ Performance Evaluations, Annual or as required
___ Counseling Forms
___ Commendations
___ Inservice Records
___ Hepatitis B Consent/ Declination form
___ Hepatitis B Vaccination Tracking Form
___ TB test verification
___ HBV/HIV exposure and follow up forms, as applicable
___ Other exposure reports and Follow up, as applicable
___ Medical Leave of Absence records
___ Family Leave of Absence records
___ Reliability reports
___ Medical reports as related to accommodation for disability
___ Documentation as required for illness.
Feel free to let me know if there are other requirements either in general or state specific, that you would add.
Getting everything checked off at the time of hire is one thing. Keeping up with numerous employees year after year is often the real challenge. You can either divide your staff up and focus on those who have anniversary dates each month, or have an annual competency week and get it all done for everyone at once. Of course you will still have those who have bi-annual vehicle insurance cards or for whatever reason they are out of sync with everyone else. I hope that you will have software that can easily track the annual items due for renewal and allow you to remind your staff without taking large chunks of time. (Yes, of course, our Visit Wizard software does.)
Have a wondrous Holiday season and Blessings on you in the coming Year!
