Page 42 - 2021 MHA Start-up Guide

Now that you have your business plan in place, it’s time to … do some more planning . Because
your business plan is only half the battle! Once it’s been completed, presented and approved, it
will be time to sketch out how you’ll execute it . Use this section as a checklist for major imple-
mentation tasks, and be sure to complete it before you purchase that very expensive vehicle .
We know you’re impatient to get on the road, but — trust us — when you’ve accounted for your
commercial licensing and have your WiFi in place, you’ll thank us .

Establishing Policies and Procedures
Besides promoting compliance with regulations, statutes and accred-
itation requirements, a robust and thorough set of policies and pro-
be sure to have cedures makes your staff’s job easier, especially in the tenth hour
policies and procedures of a daylong event, when clients who’ve been waiting since early

in place before you hit the morning begin to jostle for attention…and the fire marshal shows
up for an inspection … just as a key piece of equipment goes
road, and make sure they’re
down (or some other combination of hard-to-predict troubles) .
understood and followed.… Specifically, it allows staff the freedom to carry out their jobs
But beware — mobile comes with without having to rely on trial and error; it saves time and re-

nuances that brick-and-mortar sources by promoting efficiency; it frees up managers to con-
centrate on clients; and it provides legal protection to both staff
providers never have to and the program itself . The point is, be sure to have policies and
think of. procedures in place before you hit the road, and make sure they’re
understood and followed .

If you’re already part of a healthcare system, you’re very familiar with the litany of documented
policies and procedures for every client interaction and many non-client-related situations . The
good news is you can use those policies as a launching pad for your mobile program . In fact,
you should . The more you can draw from your parent organization, the better, since starting from
scratch can lead to inconsistencies and multiple standards of care for shared clients .

40 MOBILE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM STAR T-UP GUIDE