EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER Allen Health Care Services Employee Newsletter First Quarter 2018 President s Message For those of you with whom I have spoken, and to all of you that I have not had the opportunity to meet, I would like to say, Hello and, Thank You for working with Allen Health Care. I appreciate your dedication and the excellent service you provide to our patients each and every day. I am very proud of the work you do and hope that I have the opportunity to personally meet each one of you in the future. Recently, the Allen Team decided to begin a quarterly Newsletter to keep you updated on worthwhile information and to help you stay better connected to your Allen family. We care about you and hope you enjoy this first edition. Thank you for being a Superior Allen Aide. Please stay safe and have a good year! Carrin Creswell - Acknowledged Aide Marquila sent an email stating: this aide showed so much compassion for the condition for her patient, she represents what our core values stand for. In This Issue President s Message Flu Facts CDPAP HHA Commendations Electronic Visit Verication Arriving on Time Allen s CDPAP Teams up for this years Turkey Drive with the Dominican American Society Compliance
Flu Facts Flu related illnesses are already twice as high in 2017 as they were in 2016. In the United States, 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized with complications of the flu. Complications of the flu include Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Sinus Infections, and Ear Infections. Chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart and lung conditions can become worse. When is Flu Season? Flu season runs from October through May. The Department of Health determines when the season officially begins and ends. How Does the Flu Spread? The flu is contagious. Most healthy adults may be able to infect people BEFORE symptoms begin and up to 5-7 days after becoming sick. Some people may carry the virus and never develop symptoms. People with the flu can spread the virus to others up to about 6 feet away. The virus can be spread by coughing, sneezing and talking. The virus can also be spread by touching an infected surface. What are the Flu Symptoms? The symptoms of the flu include cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people may experience fever or diarrhea and vomiting. How Can I Protect Myself from the Flu? The best way to protect yourself from contracting the flu virus is to obtain the annual flu vaccine. It s never too early to get the flu vaccine. It takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu virus. If you do get sick, the flu shot can make your illness milder. If you are sick, you should not report to work to avoid spreading the virus to your patient. Additional measures to protect oneself include proper cough etiquette and handwashing technique. Alcohol based hand sanitizers can be used if soap and water are not accessible. Do not share food utensils and wash them thoroughly. Disinfect hard surfaces. Who should receive the Flu Vaccine? It is recommended that all people with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, people susceptible to infections due to medications, those over 65 and children under the age of 5 receive the flu vaccine. It is strongly recommended that all health care professionals receive the vaccine to protect both themselves and the patients they care for. Why do people need the vaccine every year? The flu vaccine lasts for a year. In addition, the flu virus is different every year so last year s vaccine may not protect you this year. (Continued on Next Page) (cont d next page
Flu Facts (cont d) Aide Compliance Allen Health Care has set a goal of vaccinating 75% of our staff during this flu season. Any aide refusing the vaccine must sign a declination form. During nursing visits, the Nurse will request that the aide provide proof of vaccine. Aide Compliance Proof of Vaccination All aides are required to carry proof of vaccine with them at all times. Proof can be provided by a sticker available at all sites or by a letter from your physician indicting the date of vaccine. Any aide unable to provide proof of vaccine will be required to wear a mask while caring for the patient. All aides that have not had the flu vaccine must wear a mask while caring for the patient. The mask must be thrown away if they become wet and when finished caring for the patients. Masks are not to be reused between patients. Masks can be obtained from all offices. What Are the Side Effects of the Flu Vaccine? The flu vaccine does NOT cause the flu. Most people that receive the flu vaccine do not have any side effects. The most common side effect is tenderness at the site of injection. Your health care provider can answer any questions that you may have concerning the flu vaccine. Where Can I Obtain the Flu Vaccine? Flu vaccines may be obtained at your local MD, local pharmacies, Urgent Care Facilities or the Department of Health. Home Health Aides may make an appointment at Mobile Health. Please call the Compliance Department at Allen Health at extension 1700 to arrange for an appointment. How Can the Aide Help their Patients during Flu Season? Our patients are chronically ill and are more susceptible to the flu virus. The aide is an important member of the health care team. The aide can assist the patient by assisting with scheduling MD appointments, reminding the patient to ask their doctor about the flu vaccine at their appointment or by accompanying the patient to the local pharmacy to receive the vaccine. Any Change in Patient s Condition (Including Flu) Call Extension 1900 The aides are encouraged to call the Clinical Department at extension 1900 during business hours with any changes in the patient s condition, including symptoms of the flu. After business hours, weekends and holidays the aide should call the answering service and ask to speak to the nurse on call. The Allen Health Care Team can prevent flu complications by receiving the vaccination, practicing infection control techniques and by encouraging patients to be vaccinated.
Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Program By James Graff The Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Program, commonly referred to as CDPAP or CDPAS, is Medicaid program designed to allow Medicaid eligible individuals who need assistance in their home with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, or other activities of daily living to hire, train, and, supervise a personal assistant, or PA (some restrictions apply). Although CDPAP is not a new program, in New York the program has grown in popularity over the past few years. The Consumer enters into an agreement with a Fiscal Intermediary (FI) to process the PA s application and wages, including tax withholdings, unemployment, and workers compensation. Allen Health opened its FI division in August 2016, and has enjoyed positive growth. If you know of a relative or friend who might benefit from the CDPAP program, please have them contact a CDPAP representative at 718-689-1252 or visit www.allenhealthcare.com/ cdpap/ Commendations for Allen Aides Eulie Smith - Acknowledged Aide Patient s daughter called and spoke to Elaine to tell us how HHA Eulie Smith is always punctual communicates well she s always in her uniform she takes her position seriously. I greatly appreciate her care for my mother. Carrin Creswell - Acknowledged Aide Marquila sent an email stating: this aide showed so much compassion for the condition for her patient, she represents what our core values stand for. Marie Alesy - Acknowledged Aide Patient sent in a letter stating how she and her family appreciate all that Marie does. She is extremely hardworking and very kind and sweet to me. I love her company very much. She is very warmhearted with a great personality and makes me laugh a lot. I am so grateful for her and all the help she provides. Phagu Parbati - Acknowledged Aide Patient spoke to our social worker Yokaira, to express her satisfaction and appreciation for her aide. She said Phagu went above and beyond to accommodate her. Phagu Parbati
Policies and Procedure Corner Electronic Visit Verification - All aides are required to clock in and out with tasks after the completion of every shift, even if the patient you work with requires a time sheet. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS!!! You must notify your Coordinator immediately if you are not able to clock in or out so that your visit(s) can be approved and appropriately verified. When you enter your daily tasks you should match what is noted on the Patient s Care Plan and always include a minimum of "2" Personal Care tasks. Adhering to these instructions will result in you receiving your weekly paycheck timely and error free. Failure to clock in and out with tasks is a Policy and Procedure violation and you will be considered Non- Compliant and will result in disciplinary action. Arriving to Work on TIME Timeliness is very important when caring for our clients and we would like to remind you that you should all be ready to work in your patient's home at the scheduled start time. If you know that you may not arrive within 15 minutes of your scheduled start time please contact your Coordinator immediately so that your patient will be notified of your unplanned delay. Your patient appreciates timely communication of their service start time, and it will enhance the patient home care experience. If you have any questions regarding the above Policies and Procedures please contact your Coordinator immediately. Allen Health Care (by Jane Cooperman, RN-BC) has a Compliance Officer (that s me) who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Corporate Compliance program. Did you know that you can reach me at my phone extension 718-657-2966 x1927, or leave an anonymous message on the Hotline (718-689-1260), or email me at compliance@allenhealth.com You can also walk right up to me anytime you see me to tell me about a compliance concern, or ask about HIPAA. The Compliance Program is meant to make sure that this agency is operating according to law and regulation and with honesty and integrity every single day. Here s another question: which do you think is worse completing a time sheet instead of clocking out, or asking your patient to clock out for you because you forgot? The answer: Having someone clock out for you is worse, it is always the wrong thing to do. Yes, you might be counseled for not using the telephonic clock in or out consistently, but we are all human beings and it s possible for anyone to forget once in a while. If that ever happens, please do the following: call your coordinator to inform him/her that you forgot to clock out, and obtain a signed time sheet so you can properly document your time. If you have someone clock in for you, you could find yourself suspended for a few days or you could lose your job, depending on the exact situation. We don t want that to happen, we hope you will work happily with us for a long time. So please - no matter who you are, remember, If you see something, say something. We depend on your eyes and ears (and voice) to help keep our excellent reputation in the industry.