Employees join and depart from medical offices regularly, so the well-run medical practice has protocols in place to address such departures - whether they are voluntary or involuntary.
CAP Risk Management & Patient Safety recommends the following precautions be taken upon the departure of any employee:
- Disable user names, passwords, and access to electronic practice management systems, computers, and electronic medical records, immediately (on last day).
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If the employee had access to checking accounts or billing accounts, disable the access immediately and change any passwords.
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To avoid medication misuse, disable access to electronic prescribing software. Ensure the employee does not leave with any prescription pads.
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Collect all keys, access passes, practice-owned equipment, computers, electronic pads or phones.
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Forward the former employee's e-mail account and voice mail to the office manager, at least for a short time.
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Remove the employee from security groups, distribution lists, and any website citations.
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Advise all employees that the employee has "left the practice" and that the employee may now have no further access to any office system.
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If applicable, collect and preserve all notes, correspondence, and personnel records that might be needed in the event of litigation (e.g., wrongful termination). You may also want to copy e-mail messages and any personal documents from the employee's computer.
Having protocols such as these in place beforehand helps avoid allegations of discrimination and preserves valuable practice and patient information from potential destruction.
Presented by
Waldene K. Drake, RN, MBA
Vice President, Risk Management & Patient Safety
If you have questions about this article, please contact us. This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.