It’s been three years since Nancy and Mary Lou started the business venture of McCoy & Connolly Consulting, Inc. It has been at times, scary, rewarding, exciting and liberating. We definitely like being our own bosses!! Along the way, we’ve learned many things from our valued clients, often as a result of being hired after the agency has undergone a “bad” survey. Make no mistake about it...when agencies perform poorly during the survey process, we are guaranteed a lucrative consultation visit. But, we don’t think that’s the way it needs to be. And, that’s what this inaugural tip sheet is all about: spending dollars and sense to create a cost effective, regulatory compliant home care organization.

Prevention is key: survey readiness and regulatory compliance is easy. Follow a few simple steps and you’ll save time, money, and sanity.

Conduct annual mock state surveys with the assistance of a reputable consulting firm.

Ensure that performance improvement/quality assurance is integral to your organization’s daily operations.

Make regular home supervisory visits.

Educate your managers and staff. Spending a few additional dollars in seminar attendance and in-service offerings will definitely pay off in the long term.

Keep yourself and your staff informed. Network with local providers and keep abreast of industry news and information through NAHC or CAHSAH membership and your local Regional Councils.

Create an ethics-driven environment. Do the right thing for the right reason.

Hire and retain the most qualified and competent staff.

Pay attention.

We hope these few tips are helpful to you and we look forward to posting similar messages on our new website which is currently under construction. If you have questions in the meantime you can reach us at mccoyconnolly@aol.com or give us a call at 858-481-4109 or fax us at 858-350-5956.

Signing off for now,