We all have heard, “No good deed goes unpunished”. Because we work in health care we sometimes think we have a right to bypass the usual patient access to the health care process. However, when we do this we not only open ourselves up to potential adverse outcomes, we also put our health care team (physicians, clinical and non-clinical staff) in a difficult position. We might feel because we have access to supplies, equipment, medication, personnel, etc. we have a right to bypass the patient channels for our own personal use. An example, might be one of my children is dehydrated, so I bring him to the hospital, bypassing the ED and have one of our nurses start an I.V. to give my little guy a bolus of fluid. It might be a family member hit their arm on something so we ask a radiology tech. to do a quick x-ray to see if the arm is broken. These practices are not appropriate and can potentially leave the staff, provider, or you liable. Treating or diagnosing yourself, family or friends, using Madisonhealth equipment and supplies, without following proper patient channels, is not appropriate. For years it has been common practice for health care workers to catch a provider in the hall and ask him/her to write a prescription for their personal use. This practice should not continue. Each of these examples, put our staff and providers in a difficult position, after all, we are health care workers and we want to help each other, but it creates unnecessary liability.
We want you and your family to receive the highest quality care and that is why we provide you with programs, such as the EZ Care MD app, access to an employee health nurse, and 50% off hospital related charges. If you or your family need health care, please use the proper channels to receive the appropriate assessment and orders. We are happy to carry out those orders and provide you with diagnostic testing and treatment. If it is an emergency, please go through the admitting process to be admitted to the emergency department. We don’t want to see you receive a lesser quality of care experience and put yourself and others at risk, simply because our processes were not followed.
With appreciation,
Nolan J. Bybee
Risk Mgt/Compliance/Therapy Services