[mskitty1]

What are the steps for opening a healthcare agency

[Fr_Chuck]

Ok, first what type of healthcare agency, a doctors office, a physcian practitioners office, a nursing home, a medical supply company.

I operate ( for at least this month still) a home medical supply company.
I have to have a license from the State Dept of Health, I have to have a License from the Dept of Pharamcy, I have to be acceditated though a national agency our state accepts. And I have to have an approved ATP or ATS rating to do my job. I have to have liability insurance, and product liability insurance.

We have to have proof of training in bloodborne pathangan, in patient safety. We have to have a manual that details every operation in writing, from what we do when customer calls, to exactly what we do, how we do it when we deal with a customer/patient. And we have to have exact billing rules and regs in writing. And all of the written and training has to be done and in place before the state will give you a license.

Also the State Health Department will do a on site inspection before they give you a license to be sure that every procedure, every training requirement is meet before you start operation.

Then of course they come back every year and inspect to be sure you have complied with all new rules and regs.

Of couse as all business you have to have all your safety and health posters but also informatioin about elder abuse, and other specific health related government posters.

I am looking right now at the State Board of Health, the Medicare, the Medicaid and the Board of Pharamacy rule books There are 8 of them each at least 3 inches wide.

Even after we have our license each employee will have to go to a specific number of days training each year.

It takes our attorneys about 3 days each year just to deal with the inspection we have and we have been in business several years here.