Even the most diligent adherence to company policy is useless when the policy itself is misguided or out-dated. Saud Juman, CEO and founder of PolicyMedical, knows very well the importance of policy as it pertains to hospitals and care facilities, as well as the impact health reform and technology can have on it. He discussed these issues with DOTmed News.

DOTmed News: When speaking about hospital policies, what does that mean and what does it cover? In other words, does this encompass policies that range from clinical to employment policies?

Saud Juman: Hospital policies are living documents that form the foundation of service delivery. In a hospital where both employee and patient safety is concerned, clear, in-depth, and easily accessible policies are critical.

A typical hospital has hundreds of policies that can include virtually anything - from policies on medication administration, to lab policies, privacy policies, HR policies, finance policies – the list is endless. It is because of this wide range of policies, that a policy management system needs to be robust, yet user friendly, and have the ability to grow with you. In addition, many organizations store procedures, manuals, forms, and even training tools alongside policies within their policy management system.

DOTmed News: Can you give a couple of specific examples in a couple of different categories?

SJ: Human Resources generally have a large number of policies. This includes policies for onboarding and orientation for new employees, dressing appropriately, staff rights, and the often cited policy on vacation days. Though these policies are not directly related to patient care, they are integral for a functional workplace.

Information management is another area that has very important policies. This includes policies on confidentiality, documentation and storage of medical records, as well as, release of medical information. Information management policies are especially important in complying with HIPAA guidelines.

Provision of Care Policies are arguably the most important policies in ensuring employee and patient safety. They describe exactly how and when to provide care. Examples include pain management, fall prevention, administering vaccinations, and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.

DOTmed News: Is policy management something of a new or growing concern, and if so why is that the case?

SJ: Policy management has always been a concern for hospitals. However, with the implementation of various new legislations, including the Affordable Care Act and HIPAA Omnibus Rule, policy management is getting more attention now than ever.

Technology has been a double-edged sword in regards to policy management. As medical records go online and telemedicine becomes the norm, new regulations have come into effect that require policies and procedures to go with them. At the same time, with advances in technology, many of the challenges of policy management such as, out-dated policies and procedures, multiple versions, and time consuming review processes, are easily addressed.

DOTmed News: Are hospital policies traditionally being managed rather haphazardly and accessing them is not easy, or efficient? What needs to be done to correct that?

SJ: Traditionally, policies have been printed on paper and kept in binders. As you can imagine, a paper and binder system is cumbersome, and accessing, reviewing, and updating policies is incredibly time-consuming. For example, if a nurse on the floor needed to reference a policy on the disposal of medical waste, she would be required to pull a binder off a shelf, and flip through the pages until she found the proper policy. Once she found the policy, it may, or may not, be the proper version.

As technology has advanced, many hospitals have transitioned to storing policies on a shared drive, or an intranet. Though this was a huge leap, there were still challenges in accessing, reviewing, and updating policies. Today, it is imperative, especially for large hospitals and hospital networks, to have an automated, searchable, web-based policy management system. Policies can be accessed in seconds, rather than minutes, and the process for reviewing and updating policies is seamless.

DOTmed News: What are the ramifications of not being organized in this regard?

SJ: Not having a robust and efficient policy management system can, quite literally, make a difference between life and death. When policies and procedures that guide patient care are not easily accessible, or kept up to date, it is more likely that mistakes will be made, and patients will suffer.

Without an efficient policy management system, nurses, and other direct care staff, will spend valuable time searching for policies that could be spent on more important tasks. Having policies that are out-dated also leaves hospitals open to litigation in the case of medical errors. Loss of accreditation from local, state, or national accreditation bodies is another potential ramification of disorganized and out-dated policies.

DOTmed News: In your estimate what percentage of hospitals is now automated, and what do you project in the next couple of years?

SJ: A recent survey by a policy management software company estimated that about half of hospitals currently have an automated policy management system in place. Based on my experience, this is a realistic estimate. Most of the hospitals that currently have automated systems are the larger hospitals and multi-site hospital networks. In the next couple of years, I anticipate that this percentage will grow.

Currently, I can see that some of the smaller hospitals are starting to get on board, as they find themselves unable to keep up with the various regulatory changes occurring in the healthcare field. Companies that provide policy management software solutions, have their work cut out for them to stay ahead of the game!