Every company is constantly trying to improve…and we’re no exception, as we’re always looking to better the services we provide in staffing temp PTs, OTs, SLPs, PTAs, and COTAs.  That’s not news.  But something occurred to me the other day that I’d consider a no-brainer.  Perhaps I missed it earlier because I’m so intertwined in the daily tasks of our company, but to just about everybody else, it’s a no-brainer.

The source of my great revelation was centered on our timesheets.  We don’t have anything that explains their use and benefits to the rehabilitation facilities we service.  That’s it…pretty simple.  I’ve previously outlined our timesheets from the therapist perspective, but not for facilities.

The purpose of this post is to explain how our therapist’s timesheets work and to demonstrate how this benefits the facilities we service.  So let’s get right to it.

How do our timesheets work? 

Quite simply, like many others, our hourly timesheets require the therapist to record their start and stop time, date, facility, mileage, and drive time – all the basics.

We also utilize a timesheet geared specifically for the home health setting.   Most of these opportunities are paid per visit instead of hourly and are a bit more detailed, including everything previously mentioned, but also types of submitted documentation and visit.

Both formats are simple, one page timesheets that are completed weekly by therapists working with us, and they are due to our office each Monday by noon so that we can begin the internal process of invoicing the facilities and paying the therapists.

How does this benefit the facilities? 

On the surface, it may look like an extra piece of paper for a facility to process.  A headache, if you will.  However, once explained, facilities often agree on the benefits of this simple sheet of paper.  Here’s how…

Each therapist must sign and date their timesheet, which again, is nothing groundbreaking. Then, the therapists submit their timesheet, along with all the necessary patient documentation, to the facility.  Not exactly rocket science, but why?  Here comes the cool part.

We also require the facility to sign and date the timesheet as well.  This does several things:

1)   It allows the facility the opportunity to ensure they have all of the documentation for the hours/visits completed by the therapist.

2)   It allows the facility to verify that the hours/visits completed by the therapist are accurate and are 100% complete.

3)   It allows the facility to contact us with any questions and concerns before they’re invoiced or the therapist is paid.

This is a very good system of checks and balances and probably one that is far better, simpler, and more cost effective than that of our government.  It’s probably less corrupt,too.  But let’s not get into politics.  If we don’t have a timesheet signed by both the therapist and the facility, we start tracking it down to see what documentation is missing.  It’s often hung up somewhere…the therapist had not submitted, or the facility is still processing.  Easy to resolve.

We won’t pay our therapists without a timesheet signed by both the therapist and the facility.  Why?  Because those hours/visits have not been verified by the facility.  So simple, yet so beneficial for the facilities.

Once facilities understand the simple checks and balances process of our timesheets, they often agree what a benefit it really is.

Do you agree?  What system do you use to ensure your employees and contract staff are reporting accurate hours/visits and completing all necessary documentation?