In the world of traditional wound center management, a company comes in, provides your hospital with all the staff, equipment, and resources you need, then runs your wound center for you. It may seem like the perfect situation, however all too often hospitals face losing complete control, which can be shown in low numbers of revenue generated and high management fees.
The obvious solution would be to end that contract, once the hospital feels it is time to take control, but it isn't that simple to get out of a contract under this model of management. Here is what to expect when ending a traditional management contract.
1. Immediately upon notice of termination, the current management company will take steps to secure all proprietary information to protect against copying.
2. Soon after the termination letter has been received, the current management company will contact hospital leadership to discuss transition plan of employees where appropriate.
3. The current management company will then contact hospital leadership to discuss timeline for removal of the traditional management company's equipment, if any, from the center, including computers used by program director and clinical staff.
4. The current management company will establish a timeline for transition of data system.
5. During the last week of the contract, the current management company will submit final invoices.
6. Throughout the duration of the process, the current management company personnel will conduct site visits in addition to being at the center on the last day of the contract to remove materials owned by them.
At Wound Care Advantage (WCA) we believe there is a better way to be a hospital partner. Our focus has always been to provide you with the tools, education, and onsite support that you need for the hospital to own and control their outpatient wound center.
It's a fundamental difference that sets us apart from all wound care management companies. By design, traditional wound center management contracts are meant to keep you dependent on the management company for years, regardless of your needs and goals of the center in the future.
We believe that in wound care you should never be stuck in a long-term commitment. The following are tips for transitioning from one management company to another:
1. Ninety-days prior to ending the term, notify the traditional management company of desire to terminate agreement.
2. Immediately, notify wound center physicians, staff and department heads as to date of transition to Wound Care Advantage.
3. Meet with the traditional management company to determine their process for termination of contract.
4. After contract with WCA is executed, WCA and hospital administration meet with wound center physicians to discuss transition.
5. Hold a transition and kickoff meeting with hospital leadership and department heads. WCA will provide transition checklist outlining detailed action items and timeline.
6. At transition and kick off meeting, determine ownership of the equipment in wound center and work with WCA to acquire needed equipment (i.e., HBO chambers, TCOM, exam chairs, stretchers, workstations, etc.).
7. During the meeting, determine staffing needs, transfer of medical records, center branding, and marketing and discuss the transition plan (i.e., contract with existing management company may prohibit hiring of management owned personnel).
8. One month prior to transition, a program director should be hired if the current management company will not work with the hospital and allow the existing PD to be hired by the hospital
Wound Care Advantage has a team of expert transition specialists that is ready to help you take control over your wound center. Our team will be there every step of the way. If you work in a hospital or existing wound center and want to learn about alternatives to the traditional full management approach call us at 888.484.3922 or send an email to me at nancy@thewca.com
Nancy Zeller is the President of Wound Care Advantage, a company that offers tools to help hospitals run their wound centers efficiently and profitably, based in Sierra Madre, Calif.
She oversees new business development, education, marketing and sales, as well as the WCA wound care modules program.
Nancy has been involved in the medical device industry for more than 25 years, focusing a majority of that time in the wound care niche of healthcare. Nancy can be reached at nancy@thewca.com