VGM Playbook:
Technology and the Patient Care Continuum Guide to Remote Work
Table of Contents
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT..................................................................................... page 3 Clint Geffert, President, VGM & Associates
BE ADAPTABLE, BE RESILIENT—IN YOUR OWN WAY ............................................................. page 4 Paul DiMarco, VP Organizational Development, VGM Group, Inc.
REMOTE SECURITY, E-COMMERCE, AND TELEHEALTH: ADAPTING TO COVID-19 THROUGH TECHNOLOGY................................................................ page 6 Cassi Price, Manager of Marketing Strategy, VGM Forbin
SERVING YOUR CUSTOMERS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT................................................ page 10 Dave Lyman, VP of Respiratory and Sales, VGM & Associates
DMEPOS AND THE REMOTE WORKER: 10 TIPS FOR SUCCESS............................................ page 13 Brightree
ENGAGING EMPLOYEES THROUGH VIRTUAL EVENTS ......................................................... page 14 Stephanie Mangrich, Events Coordinator, VGM Group, Inc.
TELEHEALTH GUIDELINES DURING COVID-19....................................................................... page 16 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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Letter From the President Telecommuting, telework, working from home, mobile work, remote work, and flexible workplace are just some of the words that describe the virtual
crash course that our world is now experiencing. It’s no secret that the workplace is going to look a bit differently post COVID-19. In the last few months, our experts have committed to bringing our members a variety of resources to help combat this change.
This resource acts as a complement to our most recent VGM Playbook, “Technology and the Patient Care Continuum.” Together, these pieces address how technology is the key in the patient care continuum as healthcare becomes increasingly virtual. In this guide, explore articles that discuss maximizing the customer/provider relationship, boosting employee engagement, strategies for remote success, guidelines relating to HIPAA and working remote, and more! We hope you enjoy this material and encourage you to reach out with additional questions. As always, it is an honor serving alongside of you, and we promise to continue to relentlessly work for your success. Kindest Regards,
Clint Geffert, President VGM & Associates Clint.Geffert@vgm.com 319.874.6990 office 281.734.3391 cell Follow me on LinkedIn
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Be Adaptable, Be Resilient—In Your Own Way By Paul DiMarco, VP of Organizational Development, VGM Group, Inc.
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hat does remote working mean for you? Maybe it’s business as usual. Perhaps you’re now working from home more than you did before. Or is it a whole new ballgame that you’re struggling to get used to? It’s different for all of us. Some of us are working from home offices, kitchen tables, or our sofas. Many of us are combining work with trying to settle children down to schoolwork. Some of us are busier than ever or worrying about our spouse/significant other/parents/ siblings. Yes, these are uncertain times. But that’s not to say it’s all darkness—what I’ve heard and experienced by talking to many of you is that there is a LOT being learned by all of us. Individually and as a group, we are extremely resilient, adapting to new environments and processes (work and personal) to continue to perform at a high level.
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There are three elements that need to be present for a dispersed team to succeed: trust, support, and a sense of belonging.
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There are three elements that need to be present for a dispersed team to succeed: trust, support, and a sense of belonging. Of course, the current situation has made us all consider anew what remote working can— and should—feel like at its most successful state. Our resilience has allowed us to see the opportunities that remote work offers, even though the circumstances might be uniquely difficult to navigate. You might recognize some of these next attributes in yourself.
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For those who worked remotely prior to this, there can be a sense of relief and balance being restored.
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Finally, They Understand!
For those of you who worked remotely from your team prior to this, there can be a sense of relief and balance being restored. Being the only remote worker can be hard. You can feel disconnected from projects, team meetings, and decisions that are made in the moment. But suddenly the entire team is remote, projects are discussed widely on calls, and team meetings include everyone’s voice being heard more often. For these people, this improvement in relationships can mean a boost to morale. There is a sense that people finally understand the difficulty of constantly dialing into meetings, the intensity of team conference calls and video meeting fatigue, and the very real sense of dislocation. Relationships Are the Key
People who are still coming to grips with remote working are frustrated by many things, such as managing tech and finding a quiet workspace at home, but their eyes are also being opened to something else—the power of one-on-one relationships in a new era. “I’ve slowed down a bit during Team video chats in order to take the time to really hear and understand what the other person was saying. I could sense they appreciated it” With no office distractions, suddenly much of the disruptive noise around us is diminished. We can only focus on the person on our screen—their voice, their pace, their body language, and what animates them during conversation. We can take so much from those clues—how our colleagues like to work, what their home surroundings are like, what they’re dealing with as they try to concentrate, and what brings a smile to their face.
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Be Adaptable, Be Resilient—In Your Own Way continued...
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By Paul DiMarco, VP of Organizational Development, VGM Group, Inc.
Creating improved relationships will create the conditions for first-class communication and collaboration.
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Being open to this information and adapting accordingly helps build relationships amongst our team differently than when we are all together in the office. Focusing on the individual enhances our understanding of them as well as improving our own self-awareness. Creating these improved relationships will create the conditions for first-class communication and collaboration. The New Normal?
“I’m like a kid at Christmas who has discovered his presents. I’m amazed by what you can do virtually. I still want other people around, though!” For those of us who may see remote working becoming a big part of our future, you might feel unanchored by the familiar routines of office life. Or you may feel vindicated—you’ve been telling your manager that remote working is the way forward for so long!
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The benefit of remote working is that we have all embraced and exhibited human resilience.
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What I see as the benefit of remote working is that we have all embraced and exhibited human resilience. Resilience is talked about a lot, but it always seems like a topic that we don’t want to experience. We instinctively reach out to each other in good times and bad. We use human relationships to get things done in collaborative ways, and we want to understand ourselves and others better so that we can enjoy our working relationships a bit more. All of this has been enhanced during this period of resilience.
During this time of adaptability and resilience, there is an opportunity to build strong and healthy relationships with each other which will offer us all a sense of community that’s lacking in some of the usual ways. This goes for work relationships and personal relationships. If you’re going to do one thing differently today, this week, or this year, make it your mission to be adaptable. Be resilient—in your own way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Paul DiMarco, VP of Organizational Development, VGM Group, Inc. Paul DiMarco is VP of Organizational Development for VGM Group, Inc. His focus is on defining the overall growth and development opportunities for all of VGM’s employees across all industries. Paul’s background in sales, sales management, and digital marketing provided a foundation for his roles at VGM. Prior to his current position, Paul was President of VGM Education, VP of VGM Marketing, and Operations Manager at VGM Forbin. A Mason City, Iowa, native and University of Minnesota Mankato graduate, Paul stays active with his community, church, and extended family. Paul and his wife, Lynda, have two sons, Mike who is 30 and Nick, who is 28. Connect with Paul via email at Paul.DiMarco@vgm.com or follow him on LinkedIn.
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Remote Security, E-commerce, and Telehealth: Adapting to COVID-19 Through Technology By Cassi Price, Manager of Marketing Strategy, VGM Forbin “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” – Fred DeVito
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t’s safe to say that we’ve all been personally challenged and changed by the pandemic of 2020. When this is all said and done, you’ll ask yourself— did your business rise to the challenge and adapt technology to accommodate new patient needs, or did you stand by while the world changed around you? If you’re in the group that’s rising to the challenge, you’re likely in the middle of a transition. Changing processes, training staff on new software, updating your website, and finding new ways to connect with your patients via telehealth and e-commerce are just a few things you’re doing to adopt. As a business, you’re running exercises on how you’ll adjust to the many possible scenarios out there about how we’ll “return to normal,” or what the new normal will be.
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Take a step back to make sure you’re protecting what made your business unique and successful in the first place.
relaxed guidelines that may leave your business to stagger staff that will be in the office and staff that will be home. You may also anticipate that a flareup of the coronavirus in your state will lead to your staff transitioning back to remote work and patients back to telehealth. Either way, you’ll be keeping those subscriptions to Office 365, RingCentral, Zoom, and/ or Continuum. Before you commit to the annual subscription, you need to ask these questions to remain in compliance. Ask Your New Vendors: •
When was your last risk assessment performed, and would you be willing to send me a copy of the report?
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What steps do you take to protect the ePHI you’ll maintain?
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While you’re doing the right things, when you’re deep into this transition it’s possible that you can’t see the forest for the trees. This means you need to take a step back to make sure you’re protecting what made your business unique and successful in the first place, and then be extremely vigilant in prioritizing employee/ patient safety, data security, and patient experience. So, let’s take a step back and examine the technology transitions you’re likely in the middle of and address the questions you need to ask to ensure you’re staying on track. For Employees’ Work From Anywhere Software— Qualifying Compliant Vendors
While many states saw months of strict social distancing measures, we’re dipping our toes into more
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Are you willing to sign or provide a business associate agreement?
Any software company that is maintaining, transmitting, or storing ePHI needs to sign a BAA with you.
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Any software company that is maintaining, transmitting, or storing electronic protected health information (ePHI) needs to sign this agreement with you. If you’re talking about a patient during a conferencing meeting, you’re transmitting ePHI. You may need to go through this with any conferencing companies, chat software, and file-sharing vendors such as Dropbox or OneDrive. In fact, free Gmail accounts don’t include a business associate agreement (BAA) and are not HIPAAcompliant. You’re required to purchase G Suite to access those resources. In our experience, almost all free software and service providers will not sign a BAA, so do your due diligence when moving forward with these new technology providers.
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Remote Security, E-commerce, and Telehealth: Adapting to COVID-19 Through Technology continued... By Cassi Price, Manager of Marketing Strategy, VGM Forbin get you your emails. It’s recommended that you also add security in the form of multiple vendors scanning your emails to make sure they’re secure before they’re delivered. At VGM Forbin, most of our customers that have Office 365 have also elected to use Barracuda as an extra layer of security. You may also be using Mimecast.
Ask Yourself: •
Have you reviewed and updated your backup, disaster, and contingency plans to protect your business?
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Have you updated your security suite to cover remote employees’ workstations and those connections back to the office?
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If employees connect to your network from personal computers, are you making sure those computers are not presenting new threats?
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Those working from home are doing so from places that you haven’t had to secure before. If they’re connecting to your network from personal computers, are you making sure those computers are not presenting new threats to your network? Do those computers have an updated antivirus software installed? Does working from home require users to store ePHI or other personal protected information (PPI) on their home computers, and is that information being backed up with your current backup solution? For Data Security—Backup, Email Protection, and User Security Now that we’ve covered updating your backup plan, there are extra steps to keep all that data in the cloud secure and protected. Here are the areas to focus on to keep your cloud covered: •
Cloud Backup: This is your disaster recovery. In the event of system failure, outage, or other disasters, it’s recommended to have your database backed up off-site and readily available when needed. The most common cloud backup services we work with are Microsoft Azure and Barracuda, but you may also work with iDrive, Acronis, or Dropbox Business.
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Email Protection Layers: Don’t trust your email provider to be secure all by itself. It’s their job to
Enable a solution that verifies its user with a username/password AND a fingerprint or random code sent to a different device.
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Multi-factor Authentication or Two-factor Authentication: With the mixture of employees working from both the office and home, it’s vital to enable a solution that verifies its user with not only a username and password but also something physical like a fingerprint or random verification code sent to a different device. You see this enabled on Facebook, Google, and even Nintendo Switch. Most often, the vendor of choice for this function is Duo.
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Businesses around the globe are bending over backward to keep serving customers and patients while practicing social distancing.
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For Patients—Website Experience, E-commerce, and Telehealth In addition to making your employees’ systems secure, we’re sure you’re also working hard to keep patients and clients coming back to you. We’ve seen businesses around the globe bending over backward to keep serving their customers and patients while practicing social distancing. As we see some of these social distancing measures continue for longer than originally expected, here are a few areas to examine within your business to make sure you’re continuing to evolve to the new normal of patient experiences:
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E-commerce/Online Catalogs
Make sure your website clearly defines the steps to having a great experience in your store virtually. This is done by providing step-by-step instructions on how to consult with your business virtually to get the same friendly experience that you would have face to face in your store.
If you have a product catalog featured on your website, you’ll also want to start improving the experience on those pages. We see many DMEPOS businesses transitioning to e-commerce models so their patients can continue to purchase products easily from them without contact. If you’re diving into e-commerce, here are some very important items to keep in mind:
If you’re researching long-term telehealth service, the functions to consider include: •
Secure and compliant mobile apps to gather ePHI via messaging, video, fax, or voice calls
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Focus on Product Pages: Whether you’re doing e-commerce or not, if you have product pages, we recommend you dedicate time to improve the information on those pages. Areas to improve could be product descriptions, features, specifications, photos, and any other information that’ll help customers find that page and learn about the product. This can influence whether they make the choice to purchase the product or contact you about it. If you have A LOT of products already listed on your site, prioritize the products that you sell often. If you’re just starting your online catalog, stay focused on your main products. Don’t put a catalog out there of product descriptions that you hurried through. Take your time and create polished pages for your key products that you really want to sell.
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Choose Your Payment Gateway: This solution authorizes payments for your merchant account. Most of the solutions out there offer similar functions but vary greatly in terms of transaction and subscription fees. Look closely at whether your payment gateway offers discounts based on volume and make sure those fraud settings and address verification settings are all turned on. The payment gateway we most commonly work with is Authorize.Net.
» Look for security certifications such as HITRUST CSF that shows the vendor is supported by a strong security risk management framework •
Easy, dynamic call routing that you can adjust from home for an influx of calls that may come in at different times for different purposes
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Voicemail transcription to increase the speed of response by the team
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Multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) capabilities—this means you can easily create a multi-layer phone routing menu to get patient calls routed to the right people.
We’ve seen solutions like RingCentral cover these functions. Another possible solution in this area that focuses specifically on healthcare is BlueJay Mobile Health.
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Many businesses are transitioning to e-commerce models so patients can continue to purchase products easily without contact.
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By Cassi Price, Manager of Marketing Strategy, VGM Forbin
Customers were accustomed to trying a product in your store before purchasing, so return policies are key.
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Determine Shipping/Delivery Options: Great shipping options are crucial in today’s e-commerce environment. Get your contracted rates set with FedEx or UPS and then see where you can offer free shipping. This may be the service that determines whether a customer buys from you or your competitor. Determining Return Policy: In a situation where your customers were accustomed to trying a product out in your store before purchasing but can no longer do that, this service is key. Determine what your return policy will be and if you can offer free returns, then you’re set. Make those policies crystal clear and make sure they’re on your website. Managing Sales Tax Compliance: Make sure you’re well-versed in where you can charge tax and where you don’t have to. When it comes to e-commerce, you may want a service that’ll instantly calculate rates based on geolocation and product classification as well as distribute payments to tax jurisdictions. A great vendor to go with is Avalara, who’s also offering 3-months free to help businesses during this time. The offer expires on June 30, 2020.
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Integrations to Automate the Process: Finally, there are many ways to make your e-commerce run efficiently for you and your customers. At VGM Forbin, we’ve developed integrations specifically for the DMEPOS business including:
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Insurance verification with vendors like Zirmed/ Waystar
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Billing software integrations with Brightree and USS
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Catalog integration with fulfillment centers like VGM Fulfillment and Preferred Medical/NDC
If you’re overwhelmed by all that comes with updating the technology within your business, you’re not alone. It’s impossible to be an expert in all areas of both your technology infrastructure and online experience. The most important thing you could do for your company right now is to find the right partners that are experts in these areas and can help you bring it all together. At VGM Forbin, we have been proudly serving VGM members for over two decades. We’re committed to helping your business thrive with the right technology and web solutions! You don’t have to navigate this alone. We’re here, your VGM technology and web partner, to help you overcome these challenges. Reach out to connect with our team today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cassi Price, Manager of Marketing Strategy, VGM Forbin Specializing in social media campaigns, search and social advertising, and writing optimized content for websites, Cassi plays a vital role in Forbin’s web marketing. Before joining Forbin, Cassi bolstered her skills as Director of Communications for the Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA) and has attended conferences and completed the 7 Step Sales Process Training for Emerge Sales. A lover of music and anything outdoors, Cassi finds satisfaction in finding a client’s unique target audience through search and social advertising, as well as creating interactions through social media. Connect with Cassi on LinkedIn or at cprice@forbin.com.
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Serving Your Customers in a Virtual Environment By Dave Lyman, VP of Respiratory and Sales, VGM & Associates
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t times, adapting to a virtual working environment can feel strange and overwhelming. However, a remote environment can give us the power to connect with customers quicker than ever before. For this reason, it’s necessary to understand how we can maximize customer service during these everchanging times. We’ve reached out to a couple of our membership service experts, Gerry Finazzo, Regional Account Manager (RAM), and Daniel Richtsmeier, Membership Account Manager (MAM), to give our members tricks on how to engage with clients and colleagues during this time. Check out their tips below:
Calling on Customers
Relationship Building With Customers in a Virtual Environment
“Imagine being Sysco Foods calling on a restaurant to meet at 5 p.m. to discuss their new products and offerings. Choosing to meet at this time wouldn’t leave room for much consumer confidence as this is prime time for the restaurant industry. We must remember to be cognizant of our customer’s business model.”
First thing’s first, a good salesperson knows to put themselves in their customer’s shoes. Many providers are having to adjust their regular operations. To name a few, limiting the number of customers in store, adapting to staff changes, and reestablishing trust with valued referral sources and customers as they see the effects of the pandemic. The first step to combating these changes is working to understand what key stakeholders are going through.
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Approach each interaction with an agenda. It sounds simple, but it’s key to maximizing time with patients and referral sources.
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When membership representatives like Finazzo and Richtsmeier meet with providers, they approach each interaction similarly—with an agenda. It sounds simple, but it is key to maximizing limited time with patients and referral sources. Their agenda goes beyond precalculated talking points, but rather focuses on personalization and working to understand their customer’s pain points.
This plan starts with knowing when and when not to call on members. In the DME world, early morning is usually not the time to engage with busy providers. Most likely, providers are working to prepare for the day’s happenings. However, for members interacting with referral sources, it is recommended to engage in the morning. This can establish confidence in the DMEPOS/referral source relationship, as referral sources want to make sure their patients’ needs are taken care of fast and at a superior level.
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~ Gerry Finazzo
Make it personal. Don’t jump right into your agenda. Catch up and ask if they have any immediate concerns.
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Personalize Interactions To maximize virtual visits and phone calls, make it personal. Don’t jump right into your agenda. If you already have an established relationship with the customer, catch up, ask if they have any immediate concerns needing to be solved. If you don’t have a relationship yet established, open up about yourself or choose a light/friendly talking point to start a basic rapport. Try discussing weather, sports, or other seasonally relevant topics. These bits of personalization can make things more meaningful to the customer. Also, don’t forget to take notes of your conversations with customers. By addressing these interactions in future follow-ups, you can make a customer feel extremely valued and noticed.
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Serving Your Customers in a Virtual Environment continued... By Dave Lyman, VP of Respiratory and Sales, VGM & Associates However, despite the necessity for strong rapport, Dan also advises the following: “Always be mindful of the customer’s time and tone. For each phone call or interaction, read between the lines on whether a person wants to make small talk or strictly stick to business. Adapt to their preference, as this is a showing of your personal regard for their needs.” ~ Daniel Richtsmeier Mapping Call Agenda When preparing for a member call, Dan often spends at least 30 minutes prepping. Likewise, we recommend basic prep for interacting with your customers.
Additional Advice From Dan and Gerry “Know your Nos. If you suggest a product or service and the customer declines, know why they say no. There is always opportunity in a no, whether it’s an opportunity to further understand your customer’s needs or to suggest a new solution altogether.” ~ Daniel Richtsmeier “Embrace problems or customer concerns. Any time these arise, you have the chance to be a hero. When I hear of something needing to be tended to (good or bad), I see it as an opportunity to serve.” ~ Gerry Finazzo
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Check the internal database for patient details if a relationship is already established/discover if they are already using your resources.
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Develop get-to-know you questions to further build rapport.
Introduce a Multilayered Service Model to Virtual Appointments
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Understand all current company offerings and happenings.
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If applicable, gather any information provided from referral sources and pull together related education or product information to enhance patient care.
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If you think a patient would be interested in a certain product, consider prepping a cost comparison with the options your business has available (e.g., reimbursement products, retail products, add-on products, etc.).
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Be sure to ask about the patient’s pain points and work to understand their unique situation.
VGM has a multilayered service model. This means that often members are introduced to many of our internal experts who lead our unique member services. Being mindful of this strategy, Gerry considers himself a tour guide to all things VGM. The goal of this outlook is to enable our providers to give complete care to their customers. Often if a patient is coming in for one need, there are additional uncovered needs that should be considered to better their everyday life. For example, if a complex rehab mobility user visits your business for support, they may need a home modification plan to integrate that device seamlessly into their life.
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Always remember that the patient is paying for a service that you are providing—make sure they get the best value for their money.
Consider brushing up on the following before your call:
If a patient is coming in for one need, there are likely additional needs that can be considered to better their everyday life.
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You too can provide this multilayered service within a virtual environment. Do so by taking on the persona as a “customer tour guide” and driving connections between the patient and experts within your organization. When possible, be sure to always include those who can add value to your virtual meetings. This
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Serving Your Customers in a Virtual Environment continued... By Dave Lyman, VP of Respiratory and Sales, VGM & Associates
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gives you a chance to showcase your vast expertise and offerings, and strengthen patient confidence.
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Employees can feel especially disconnected if they aren’t able to meet with customers or colleagues like they’re accustomed to.
Maintain Your Own Morale So You Can Continue to Inspire Patients and Referral Sources Never forget the importance of keeping up morale. Employees can feel especially disconnected if they aren’t able to meet with customers or colleagues like they are accustomed to. This day-to-day interaction typically provides a big sense of purpose for those serving our industry, and it can be hard to adjust to this environment. Dan and Gerry suggest the following to help combat this: •
Be consistent. Practice “business as usual” in your remote environment.
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Your space should reflect a business-like manner. Eliminate distractions.
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Be mindful of those who do not have the luxury to work remote in this environment and adapt to their needs.
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Have a plan each morning. Determine the patient or organizational practices needing to be addressed.
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If you’re struggling, chances are your colleagues could be too. Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect. Internalizing is much worse than not addressing your frustration.
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Make sure to take lunch or do something to catch your breath. Call a friend or go on a walk.
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Celebrate success! Share your wins with colleagues and grab a cookie or crack a beer.
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Be flexible. In this environment, people who don’t do well with a curveball can struggle.
Whenever you need to strategize, problem solve or just talk, please reach out.
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Final Thoughts Remember that VGM is in this with you. Our RAMs and MAMs are only a call away. Whenever you need to strategize, problem solve, or just talk, please reach out. Our job is to help you create impactful experiences with your customers. Whether that’s virtually or face to face, we’re always here to support your needs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dave Lyman, BA, RRT-SDS, VP of Respiratory and Sales, VGM & Associates Dave Lyman is Vice President of Respiratory and Sales at VGM & Associates. Dave’s experience as a respiratory therapist coupled with his knowledge of clinical, operations, billing, management, and sales in the DME industry has been instrumental in overseeing several of VGM’s programs. Dave started his career as a respiratory therapist at the Cleveland Clinic and has more than 20 years of experience in the DME industry. Along with leading VGM & Associates’ sales team and guiding VGM’s Respiratory program, he also serves on multiple committees dedicated to patient outcomes and care, including co-chair for the education committee for OAMES and AA Homecare Respiratory focus group. You can connect with Dave via email at dave.lyman@vgm.com or follow him on LinkedIn.
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DMEPOS and the Remote Worker: 10 Tips for Success By Brightree
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ith providers like Family Medical Supply reporting a shift in their business model and 90% of their DMEPOS workforce now working remotely due to the COVID-19 crisis, it’s important to find ways to remain productive, engaged, and connected. Change happened in a hurry, yet there are tools and tips that you can use during this critical time. In fact, Jerri McLamb, Family Medical Supply’s Vice President of Billing, reports that functionality in their Brightree system is making it easier to monitor and assign tasks to remote staff.
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New tools allow you to manage your business with remote staff while keeping patients and employees safe.
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Tools like the new COVID analytics dashboards and revenue cycle and sales order worklists and photo confirmation at delivery allow you to manage your business with remote staff while keeping patients and employees safe. Brightree has also introduced a new drop-ship function within ePurchasing that enables providers using VGM Fulfillment to drop ship serialized items to patients and automate proof of delivery directly into Brightree Document Management. And the ability to find tips and training and to see what other suppliers are doing through Brightree Community forums is proving highly valuable. Another sure-fire way to ensure a successful remote work environment is to follow and share these 10 tips. Download Brightree’s top 10 tips to share with your team. 1. Practice good self-care. Take regular breaks and get some exercise with stretching, walking, and regular movement incorporated into your working day just as you would in the office.
3. Set up your mobile office. Think about where you’ll spend your hours and then, for the best experience, consider having a designated workspace that’s set up for comfort and function. 4. Check your hardware. Your best work setup also includes gadgets like a laptop charger and a mouse. Check that your essential connections, like your business phone, are working correctly and test regularly. 5. Configure your system. Ensure your business management system is configured with the latest security settings and workflows for optimal remote staff productivity. 6. Re-tool your meetings. Help meeting participants prepare by including agendas in the invitation. You can also build and maintain social connections with your team by opening meetings with a check-in or icebreaker. 7. Be present during virtual meetings. Unmute your microphone, turn on your camera, and validate contributions from others. A head nod or “yeah, good idea” goes a long way. 8. Maintain team camaraderie. Beyond formal meetings, you’ll want to check in with your team members daily. You should also consider creating a team group chat to boost energy levels. 9. Stay connected. Over communicate by using tools like email and instant messaging. 10. Stay current. Stay in touch with your management team and ask any questions that come up about your new work routine. Get more provider perspectives from Family Medical Supply on empowering remote staff in this Q&A.
2. Consider good ergonomics. Listen to your body and be conscious of posture, screen height, and seating arrangement for comfort.
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Engaging Employees Through Virtual Events By Stephanie Mangrich, Events Coordinator, VGM Group, Inc.
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arge employee engagement events and fun gatherings have always been a part of what makes VGM such a great place to work. When COVID-19 began, we all started working from home, and restrictions were given regarding large group gatherings/events. I wondered how we would continue to show employee appreciation and have fun at work. Fortunately, with all the technology we have available, virtual events have become a reality for the employees at VGM. Answering Employee Questions During this time, there are obviously a lot of questions from our employees. When will we be able to go back to the office? Is our company going to be okay? These questions (and countless others) could be answered and explained by our senior leaders, so we created virtual events where employees could get answers directly from our senior leaders.
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Virtual events are a great way to network with other employees and stay connected with what is going on in the company.
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Employees are invited to sign up for afternoon calls with our CEO Mike Mallaro to ask questions and get updates about the state of our company. We also have another set of events—Coffee & Cocktails—where employees can sign up for calls with other senior leaders, either in the morning hours for coffee or the afternoon for cocktails. We have gotten great feedback both from senior leadership and the employees who attended the events. It’s a great way to network with other employees and stay connected with what is going on with our company and other employees.
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Our Employee Owners’ Annual Update actually saw an increase in attendance when it was moved online.
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Family Fun Fun for our employees and their families outside of work hours is a big part of VGM’s culture, and we wanted to maintain that as much as possible. We still held our Employee Owners’ Annual Update on May 5. The event is usually hosted at Gallagher Bluedorn in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with around 350-400 in attendance (including spouses). It’s an event full of important information—and fun—for our employees and their families. Since we were not able to hold this event live, we turned it into a successful virtual event. We were able to create video recordings of our speakers and put them together into a one-hour video that was broadcasted to our employees and their families at home. The presentation included live elements such as company trivia and comments section, and we even hosted a “pre-party” in our internal Facebook page ahead of time (since we usually have a cocktail hour before the live event). Our ESOP Communications Committee members asked engaging questions to our employees, and we had nearly 500 comments and almost 1500 “likes”/ reactions to the posts during the “pre-party.” For the main presentation, 428 individuals logged in to watch and participate (that does not include the spouses/ family that also viewed), so we saw a jump in our attendance and participation for this event since it was turned virtual.
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Virtual events can engage ALL employees, not just the ones who traditionally work out of the main office.
VGM Playbook: Technology and the Patient Care Continuum: Guide to Remote Work
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Engaging Employees Through Virtual Events continued... By Stephanie Mangrich, Events Coordinator, VGM Group, Inc. Another benefit to the event going virtual was that we were able to include ALL employees. Not all employees are local (Waterloo, Iowa) anymore. So, to be able to turn this into a virtual event was great because all employees, no matter where they live, could participate.
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Create an employee-only Facebook page where you can share company information and engage with your employees.
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Some other family fun events for our employees include a virtual cooking competition, TikTok/video competition, and hiring a band to do a Facebook Live concert. We’ve also increased the engagement and activity in our internal Facebook page, asking employees to share pictures of their pets (#officepets), their family movie nights (#vgmmovienight), and their at-home gardens (#vgmgarden).
Engaging Employees We’ve still been able to keep our employees engaged and updated during this virtual time with Facebook page communication, video calls, instant messaging, and emails. We’ve even seen an increase in participation since we are all at home. While we still have great attendance at our in-person events, we have a large amount who cannot attend due to the distance or personal schedules (kids, activities, etc.). We are thankful we have been able to continue making fun events part of VGM during this time. Even after everyone is back at work, we will continue to host some virtual events and look into virtual options. That way, we can continue to engage ALL our employees in the VGM family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Stephanie Mangrich is an Events Coordinator for VGM Group, Inc. Her position includes planning, coordinating, and executing monthly events for employees. She also coordinates VGM customer events and manages the VGM Farm. Prior to her current position, Stephanie was associate director of training and employee development for VGM HOMELINK. Originally from Dysart, Iowa, Stephanie currently lives in Cedar Falls where she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and golden retriever, Ruby. Connect with Stephanie via email at Stephanie.Mangrich@vgm.com or follow her on LinkedIn.
VGM Playbook: Technology and the Patient Care Continuum: Guide to Remote Work
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Telehealth Guidelines During COVID-19 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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he Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently clarified guidelines for telehealth communications during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve provided their communication below for you to review in full, but we’ve also prepared a short list of our own recommendations that will help protect your business and your patients. Reducing Your Telehealth Risks •
Documentation and Compliance: Document all interactions with a patient in their file. Access to this documentation should comply with existing privacy and security policies and regulations.
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Staff Training: Educate your staff periodically on how to use telehealth services in patient treatment. This should include the technical aspects of the technology, role-specific information, and expectations.
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Legal/Regulatory: Ensure your telehealth practices adhere to federal law—such as the OCR guidelines below—as well as the laws in your state and the state of every patient you’re treating. It’s a good idea to consult your legal counsel and insurance provider.
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Technology and Date Security: The quality of your telehealth equipment can make or break communication and diagnosis, so consider upgrading the equipment used for telehealth services. Remember—no business is too small to be targeted by a cyberattack. Make sure your cybersecurity is up to date.
Please take a moment to read the OCR guidelines below, and don’t be afraid to reach out to your RAM/ MAM if you have any questions. Notification of Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency We are empowering medical providers to serve patients wherever they are during this national public health emergency. We are especially concerned about reaching those most at risk, including older persons and persons with disabilities.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for enforcing certain regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, to protect the privacy and security of protected health information, namely the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules (the HIPAA Rules). During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies. Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules. OCR will exercise its enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This notification is effective immediately. A covered health care provider that wants to use audio or video communication technology to provide telehealth to patients during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency can use any non-public facing remote communication product that is available to communicate with patients. OCR is exercising its enforcement discretion to not impose penalties for noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth using such non-public facing audio or video communication products during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This exercise of discretion applies to telehealth provided for any reason, regardless of whether the telehealth service is related to the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions related to COVID-19.
~ Roger Severino, OCR Director VGM Playbook: Technology and the Patient Care Continuum: Guide to Remote Work
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Telehealth Guidelines During COVID-19 continued... U.S. Department of Health & Human Services For example, a covered health care provider in the exercise of their professional judgement may request to examine a patient exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, using a video chat application connecting the provider’s or patient’s phone or desktop computer in order to assess a greater number of patients while limiting the risk of infection of other persons who would be exposed from an in-person consultation. Likewise, a covered health care provider may provide similar telehealth services in the exercise of their professional judgment to assess or treat any other medical condition, even if not related to COVID-19, such as a sprained ankle, dental consultation or psychological evaluation, or other conditions. Under this Notice, covered health care providers may use popular applications that allow for video chats, including Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, or Skype, to provide telehealth without risk that OCR might seek to impose a penalty for noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules related to the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. Providers are encouraged to notify patients that these third-party applications potentially introduce privacy risks, and providers should enable all available encryption and privacy modes when using such applications. Under this Notice, however, Facebook Live, Twitch, TikTok, and similar video communication applications are public facing, and should not be used in the provision of telehealth by covered health care providers. Covered health care providers that seek additional privacy protections for telehealth while using video communication products should provide such services through technology vendors that are HIPAA compliant and will enter into HIPAA business associate agreements (BAAs) in connection with the provision of their video communication products. The list following includes some vendors that represent that they provide HIPAA-compliant video communication products and that they will enter into a HIPAA BAA.
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Skype for Business
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Updox
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VSee
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Zoom for Healthcare
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Doxy.me
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Google G Suite Hangouts Meet
Note: OCR has not reviewed the BAAs offered by these vendors, and this list does not constitute an endorsement, certification, or recommendation of specific technology, software, applications, or products. There may be other technology vendors that offer HIPAA-compliant video communication products that will enter into a HIPAA BAA with a covered entity. Further, OCR does not endorse any of the applications that allow for video chats listed above. Under this Notice, however, OCR will not impose penalties against covered health care providers for the lack of a BAA with video communication vendors or any other noncompliance with the HIPAA Rules that relates to the good faith provision of telehealth services during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. OCR has published a bulletin advising covered entities of further flexibilities available to them as well as obligations that remain in effect under HIPAA as they respond to crises or emergencies at https://www.hhs. gov/sites/default/files/february-2020-hipaa-andnovel-coronavirus.pdf. Guidance on BAAs, including sample BAA provisions, is available at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/forprofessionals/covered-entities/sample-businessassociate-agreement-provisions/index.html. Additional information about HIPAA Security Rule safeguards is available at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/ for-professionals/security/guidance/index.html. HealthlT.gov has technical assistance on telehealth at https://www.healthit.gov/telehealth. Content created by Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Content last reviewed on March 17, 2020
VGM Playbook: Technology and the Patient Care Continuum: Guide to Remote Work
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