Policy & Procedures Manual

Posted on by Fuel Medical COVID-19 Resource Center

How to Create a Policy & Procedures Manual for Your Practice

A Policy & Procedure Manual is an essential component of any organization. It provides employees with the guidance they require to function efficiently and consistently in day-to-day operations. Additionally, it can be used for reference, and as a training tool for new employees.

Below is an outline for how to create policies and procedures for your practice, along with some sample policies and templates.

Step 1: Create an outline (sample provided below) of situations that staff may encounter and processes that should be followed on a consistent basis. It may help to have staff keep a list of tasks they complete on a regular and irregular basis.

Step 2: Follow the template provided to write your policy. Tips in creating a good policy include:

  • Use terms such as “generally,” and “may” instead of “always” or “must” to ensure flexibility when interpreting and applying the policy to accommodate a variety of circumstances.
  • Use clear language.
  • Provide a purpose statement to outline why the policy is needed and the desired outcome.
  • Ensure policies are compliant with city, county, state and federal laws.
  • Consult with any stakeholders who will be responsible for implementation to gain feedback and support.
  • Communicate policies with employees, with an acknowledgment statement to indicate their receipt and understanding of the policy.
  • Include an effective date.

Step 3: If a policy needs to be updated, or a situation presents that should be included in the Policy & Procedures Manual, simply update or create the necessary policy and communicate the change with your staff.

Step 4: Contact Fuel Medical Group for additional support in creating these materials.

Sample Table of Contents Outline

By no means is this intended to be an all-inclusive list of policies & procedures relevant to your practice. This is just a sample to get you started. You can also download our blank policy template here.

General

  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Privacy Basics
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Office Open and Close procedures

Patient

  • New Patient Registration – Obtaining Patient Information
  • Scheduling
  • Surgery Appointment Scheduling
  • Appointment Reminders
  • New Patient Check-In
  • Check-In for Established Patients
  • Patient Check-Out
  • No-show/Missed Appointments
  • Appointment Cancelation
  • Termination of Physician-Patient Relationship
  • Overdue Balances

Billing

Safety

  • Infection Control
  • Bloodborne Pathogens (download sample policy)
  • Accident/Incident Reporting
  • Hazard Communication Standard
  • OSHA 300 Log
  • Emergency Action Plan
  • Medical Services and First Aid
  • Injury Reporting

Employee