We operate an OP imaging site with 6 US rooms, doing roughly 60 US cases/day, The child management issue has been a management issue forever, but got to the point where the office manager was providing child care in the lobby. We had to develop scripts for the schedulers, greeter, and technologists. We now follow the below:
Children and Imaging Procedure
Objective: To provide guidelines for managing patient care when the patient presents with young children.
It is our goal to make sure all patients are made aware of this policy. Patients should be reminded of our child policy at every point of communication, including but not limited to scheduling, confirmation, reschedules, calls for directions, etc.
Child Safety Policy:
"For your safety and the safety of your children, please make arrangements for someone to care for your children during your scheduled appoint times. If you are unable to find care for them, please call and reschedule your appointment."
The above statement applies to all children. However, we will make exceptions for children 6 years old and older. Patient with children under the age of 6 may be in the exam room if accompanied by another adult (not the patient.) Technologists may find it necessary to ask the adult to remove a child who becomes disruptive during the exam. All VDIS employees should be as discreet and sensitive as possible when managing these patients and their children.
Scheduler script- This should be mentioned prior to scheduling. –
Please let me share with you our Child Safety Policy: For your safety and the safety of any child guest, we ask that if you decide to bring children under the age of 6 to your appointment that they be accompanied by another adult. We feel it's in the best interest of our patients that the technologist be completely focused on you and providing you the highest quality care.
Role of Greeter:
If a patient presents with young children without an adult, ask the patient if there's someone with them who will be caring for the child/children during the exam. If no ask for the patient to meet you just inside of the corridor just past the Registrars desks. The goal is to move this conversation away from the lobby.
- I'm sorry but for your safety our policy requires the presence of another adult to watch the child during the exam. If I can find another timeslot for you, can you find someone that can meet you here?
- Tell the patient, that unfortunately this is an important medical exam that requires the full attention of those providing her care. Let me help you find time to reschedule,
Role of Technologist:
If the message isn't received by the Greeter, the technologist script should be to reiterate the prior information:
"Hi Mrs. Jones, I will be your technologist today. My name is _______. Our patient safety policy does not allow young children in the exam room during the procedure. This is to ensure that I may devote my entire focus to your medical examination. We have a children's area just around the corner in the lobby with books, a movie, and coloring."
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Beth Williams MHA, FACMPE
Executive Director
Vantage Radiology and Diagnostic Services
Federal Way WA
(253) 661-1700 ext. 1105
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-01-2018 11:16
From: Vicki Parikh
Subject: Child Supervision
Thank you both for your replies! We are currently doing something similar, but it seems like we have gotten a recent succession of unruly kids (must be the summer!). I do like the idea of reminding patients to not bring children with them as that could help reduce the irritation of people bringing their kids only to be turned away.
It is tough to adopt a hard line policy for the same reasons you both cited - some procedures are too difficult to reschedule. I think for those, we will start reminding patients and see how it goes.
Thank you both again for your help!
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Vicki Parikh
Practice Administrator
Mid-Delaware Imaging
Dover DE
3027349888 x128
Original Message:
Sent: 08-01-2018 09:04
From: Stacy Sanso
Subject: Child Supervision
Good Morning,
This can be a challenge. We do not have a firm age or policy about this. We leave it up to the clinic manager and technologist discretion. If the child is unruly then we reschedule the exam until the parent can return without the child. Otherwise the clinic manager or an available technologist will assist with supervising children who we do not feel comfortable leaving unsupervised. If they will be not be directly supervised, we do bring the child back to the exam area so they can wait either in the waiting area closest in the back or in a dressing room close by so they are not out in the main lobby. Most of these children come with a tablet or phone that keeps them entertained for short exams.
If the patient is having more than 20-30 minutes of exams and the child cannot be left unsupervised then those exams are usually rescheduled. Luckily this does not come up very often.
I hope this helps...Good luck!
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Stacy Sanso
Clinic Manager
Austin Radiological Association
Georgetown TX
(512) 863-4648
Original Message:
Sent: 07-31-2018 14:51
From: Brian Williams
Subject: Child Supervision
Vicki,
When we schedule the patient, and when we do our reminder messages, we inform the patient that they will need to have additional adult supervision for any children under 12. If the patient brought children under 12 without someone to supervise them, then a manager would have to decide whether to reschedule or have an employee supervise the child during the appointment. We would just decide on a case-by-case basis. We had someone show up with a 10-year-old boy that just sat in the lobby and played on his tablet. I had a few cases where I sat in the lobby with children between 4 and 6 because the exam that the parent was here for was difficult to schedule (hysteron, etc.). We have security cameras in the lobby, so I just made sure we stayed in view of a camera at all times.
Brian
Original Message------
I am curious how others handle patients that arrive for imaging studies with children that need to be supervised. Do you turn them away and have them reschedule for when they do not have to bring the child(ren)? Do you have your staff supervise the child (depending on the length of the patient's study)? What about children that are seemingly old enough to be self-sufficient but turn out to be unruly while their parent/guardian is having their study done?
Thanks!
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Vicki Parikh
Practice Administrator
Mid-Delaware Imaging
Dover DE
3027349888
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