Q&A: What if my staff just doesn’t know the answer?
Q: We are expecting a survey any day now and I’m worried that some of my staff may not know how to answer. Will this affect my facility’s survey results?
A: Honesty is the best and only policy. Staff members must be honest. If they do not know the answer to a question, it is okay for them to say, “I don’t know the answer, but I would be glad to find out for you.” As a side note, intentional falsification has serious consequences that will impact the survey process and the hospital’s accreditation status.
A final word of advice is to tell staff to relax, stay calm, and be ready to demonstrate the work you do every say to deliver quality, safe care to your patients. The key is to be ready every day so that when you check the Joint Commission website at 7 a.m. and see that today is your day, or when CMS drops by for a full survey, you are confident that your survey will go well.
-Jodi L. Eisenberg, MHA, CPHQ, CPMSM, CSHA, and Jean S. Clark, RHIA, CSHA
Editor’s Note: Do you have a question about clarifying RFIs, policy management, or survey-prep for our experts? E-mail your queries to Jaclyn Beck at jbeck@hcpro.com and receive one-on-one advice from our experienced advisory board. Submit a question and our credible sources will provide you with a timely answer.