A new white paper from MedHQ details how surgery center leaders can best manage the complicated and constantly changing COVID-19 related rules and mandates put in place by government officials as the pandemic lingers. The paper, titled Managing COVID-19 Mandates, examines the unique business challenges faced by healthcare leaders while at the same time managing the risks and personal concerns of employees.
“There is a great deal to consider when trying to interpret government mandates, operate a safe and productive business, and listen to the concerns of your own employees.” says Tom Jacobs, CEO and Co-Founder of MedHQ. “ASC leadership is in the challenging position of keeping everything on track while navigating evolving mandates from various government entities which can be overwhelming.”
The MedHQ HR team details a wide-ranging list of guidelines, touching upon legal concerns, data usage, vaccination exemptions, risk, and employee privacy. One of the most challenging issues remains vaccinations and approving employee accommodations.
“The best way to manage vaccination accommodations is by utilizing an internal management committee to review all your exemption applications ensuring consistency.” says Rita Hernandez Figi, MedHQ’s COO. “While employees make their own accommodation recommendations, the employer is left to decide what works for the business.”
State and local mandates leave much for interpretation on behalf of employers. Business leaders, along with legal counsel, do the best job possible to interpret mandate intent. Unfortunately, there is room for risk in these interpretations and it is important that surgery center managers know the rules and can defend decisions made during the accommodation process.
Download your copy of the white paper here.