Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. confidentiality commitment. * It is the policy of the Agency that a photograph shall be taken of all open wounds, including but not limited to, decubitus ulcers on admission or if one develops while the patient is receiving care and/or services from this Agency. * The tenets of this policy are understood to include in the identification, diagnosis and treatment of the patient the documentation of wound status and/or decubitus ulceration of the patient and/or in incidents of actual or suspected physical abuse, where visual documentation in the form of a photograph is necessary to: * Objectively define the wound/decubitus ulcer area and to provide a comparative report during treatment * In incidents of actual or suspected physical abuse, objectively define and document, pursuant to state and local laws and regulations, areas of physical injury * The authorized staff member will measure the wound(s) and or physical injury and document size: * Decubitus ulceration: An initial photograph shall be taken of each decubitus stage and as needed, when may indicate the need of more detailed explanation, in any improvement or deterioration of the decubitus occur, with not specific frequency, according our professional staff expertise or Physician order/request. * Open wound(s): An initial photograph shall be taken of each wound, then another photograph may be taken as documentation may indicate the need of more detailed explanation, in any improvement or deterioration of the wound occur, with not specific frequency, according our professional staff expertise or Physician order/request. * Actual/suspected abuse injury: An initial photograph shall be taken of each area of physical injury * Photograph(s) will be placed in the patient’s will be placed in the patient’s medical record and remain under the confidentiality and security guidelines, policies and procedures that govern medical record security and confidentiality of this organization. Home Health Agency Policies A-160