Page 43 - 2022 Risk Basics - Systems

SVMIC Risk Basics: Systems

information. A business associate agreement must be in place with

the answering service (a sample “Business Associate Agreement” is
available at www.svmic.com). Additionally, telephone policies should

require that the answering service maintain a telephone log with defined
requirements including:

• Date and time of call

• Patient’s name

• Date of birth

• Reason for call

• Response to the call

These answering service records or message logs should be obtained by

the office and retained for the same length of time as medical records.

Practices using an automated system instead of backup physician

coverage should anticipate this could result in some patient

dissatisfaction and increased risk. It is advised you review any contract
with payors to determine whether such contract imposes a legal
obligation to provide after-hours coverage. The following are suggestions

to help minimize potential liability as well as patient frustration:

• Regardless of the system utilized after-hours, patients whose
medical condition may involve complications, as well as for those

patients who have received new medications which have potentially
serious side effects, should be provided with written instructions

addressing how to recognize complications and side effects, what to
do in response, and where alternate treatment facilities exist.

• Advise patients that if they call after-hours (which should be
specifically defined), they will receive instructions provided by an

automated system.

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