CENTER FOR EYE CARE

SUPPORT STAFF POLICIES MANUAL

October 1, 2003, November 8. 2004, Septermber 12, 2005, August 21, 2006, June 25, 2007, May 25, 2008

ATTENDANCE

Dependable and prompt attendance is an essential function of every support staff position at the University. The efficiency of the entire work group is impaired if even one individual is not present when expected. Planned absences such as vacations should be scheduled in advance. Unscheduled absences and tardiness are particularly disruptive and must be kept to an absolute minimum.

Center for Eye Care support staff are expected to be at their work station at the scheduled time andprepared to begin work.

SCHEDULED ABSENCES:

Planned absences and other excused absences with or without pay must be requested and approved at least 2 weeks in advance by the Center Manager. Support staff must send all requests by e-mail. An absence report must be submitted before approval. Planned absences with less than 2 weeks advanced notice may be approved at the discretion of the Center Manager. Medical appointments and scheduled surgery must also be approved by the Center Manager. It is mandated through HR that an employee use any accrued time when asking for vacation, personal, or sick time.

VACATION:

Support staff must receive prior supervisory approval at least 2 weeks in advance to receive paid vacation. Support staff must send all requests by e-mail to the Center Manager. An absence report must be submitted before approval.Vacation requests with less than 2 weeks advanced notice may be approved at the discretion of the Center Manager. Under normal circumstances, vacations should not be requested during the first week of the semester. Absences from work that are not caused by an illness or injury must be charged to accumulated vacation, except for absences due to death in employee's immediate family; absences for jury duty; leaves of absence of less than 30 days treated as excused absences; absences due to illness or injury which the employee elects to charge to accumulated vacation; and employees who have exhausted vacation time may, with supervisory approval, take leave without pay in increments of whole days or less. Vacation time must be earned before it is taken. Official University holidays occurring during a vacation period are not charged to accumulated vacation time. Payment in lieu of vacation time is not permitted. Upon resignation, termination or interruption of service, payment for all unused, accumulated vacation will be made, provided the employee has satisfactorily completed the probationary period.

UNSCHEDULED ABSENCES:

Unplanned absences can be very detrimental to work place efficiency. In the case of sudden illness or other unexpected circumstances, a support staff member should notify the Center Manager immediately. Support staff can use vacation or personal days after sick days have been exhausted when the illness qualifies as Family and Medical Leave (FMLA). Support staff can use personal days (but not vacation days) after sick days have been exhausted with a doctor's statement to cover the work time missed. Support staff can use vacation time or personal time for doctor's appointments which have been scheduled and approved by the supervisor ahead of time.

Support staff must call the Center Manager at 314-605-6692 by 7 A.M. if they have an unscheduled absence or delay in arrival to the work site. The Center Manager wil begin taking calls at 5:30 A.M. If this is not possible, a family member should alert the supervisor as soon as possible to explain the situation and indicate the expected date and time of return.

Support staff must request approval from the Center Manager to leave the work site for any temporary unscheduled reason. If temporary absence has been approved, the support staff must immediately notify the Center Manager of the time of their leaving and their return to the Center. If the Center Manager is unavailable, the request must be approved by the Budget and Fiscal Officer or Administrative Assistant. If support staff have been granted a temporary absence, this time away from the work site must be accurately reflected on the time record.

TARDINESS:

Support staff should notify the Center Manager as soon as possible of any anticipated tardiness. If unforeseen circumstances cause tardiness of 30 minutes or more, an employee should call the Supervisor immediately.

Nonexempt support staff members who are late will have a pay reduction unless arrangements are made with the supervisor to make up time lost as a result of the tardiness within the same work week.

Support staff members who are frequently tardy or absent or who fail to follow approved departmental guidelines for notification are subject to disciplinary procedures.

REPORTING ABSENCES:

All absences from work including vacation, sick leave, personal days, or other excused or unexcused absences must be reported on a Report of Absence (UMUW Form 60), signed by the employee and approved by the supervisor. Supervisors are responsible for assuring that Reports of Absence are submitted in a timely fashion and that absences are properly recorded and reconciled with official university records. Absences without pay of 30 calendar days or more require an approved Leave of Absence (UMUW Form 108).

REST PERIODS

Whenever possible, all Center for Eye Care support staff shall be permitted two (2) 15 minute rest periods, to be designated by the Center Manager during the normal work day.

Rest periods are to be taken in the immediate vicinity of the Center.

Support staff scheduled to work less than a normal full work day shall be permitted, where possible, one (1) 15 minute rest period during any four (4) consecutive hours of work. Support staff are not permitted to relinquish rest periods for the purpose of making up lost time due to tardiness or absences or to permit early departure from work. These breaks are to be scheduled during the mid point of the workday. For example: if you are scheduled 8-4:30 there could be a 10:00 and 2:00 break.

LUNCH

Each employee is scheduled a 30-minute lunchtime on a daily basis. Lunch is scheduled to be taken at the mid point of your day. For example if you work 8-4:30 lunch should be around noon. If you work 12:30 – 9 lunch should be around 4:30.

REPORTING TIME WORKED

The School of Optometry must maintain accurate daily records of work time for all nonexempt employees. Such records must document hours actually worked, rather than hours scheduled to work. It also maintains records of all absences (whether paid or unpaid) on both exempt and nonexempt support staff employees. For support staff that uses the Compulink software they must clock in and out with the time clock function. Compulink time becomes your official starting and ending time.

OVERTIME PAY:

Overtime pay must have prior authorization from the Center Manager. Nonexempt support staff members are paid 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for all hours over forty (40) in a designated University workweek. "Hours paid" includes all authorized hours worked, plus all time off with pay with the exception of compensatory time. Support staff members in exempt job classifications are not entitled to overtime compensation.

REQUIRED FORMS:

For nonexempt support staff members paid bi-weekly, daily attendance and job time records must be maintained on the Bi-Weekly Payroll Time Record (UMUW Form 13A - Employees). For support staff that uses Compulink software, they need to attach the daily log and summary of the pay period. If an employee works at more than one location in a given time period, only one sheet needs to be attached. One report will print for all locations worked.

Paid from Single Account or UMUW Form 13B - Employees Paid from Multiple Accounts) except those using time cards and time clocks which are used in support of the hours reported for pay on the Bi-Weekly Time Roster (UMUW Form 283). At the discretion of the supervisor, support staff members may keep their own daily attendance and job time records; however, the School of Optometry is responsible for ensuring that all records are current and accurate.

CERTIFYING TIME RECORDS:

Each time record or time card must be signed by the employee to certify correctness of the work time reported. Entries on each time record or time card must be as the events occur (meals) and the scheduled times for arrival and departure. At the end of the applicable pay period, all records must be reviewed and signed by the Center Manager and retained for a specified period of retention. An employee who falsifies a time record is subject to disciplinary action including immediate termination of employment. All timesheets and Compulink reports must be originals. For support staff that work at other locations, you may fax your time sheet and mail the original to the UEC office at the same time. All originals must be received within 3 working days of the ending of the pay period.

OVERTIME:

Overtime must be approved in advance by the Center Manager. Work adjustments to complete a 40 hour workweek must be coordinated with, and approved by, the Center Manager.

TELEPHONE CALLS

The support staff plays an important role as the first patient contact with the Center for Eye Care. Telephones must be answered in a professional and courteous manner. Thank the caller for calling the Center for Eye Care, identify yourself, ask how you can assist the caller and attempt to schedule an appointment. Emergency personal calls are permitted. Any other personal calls must be received or placed during rest periods and away from the front desk.

FOOD AND DRINK

Food and drink is prohibited at the front desk and the dispensing areas.

ATTIRE

see Uniform Policy below

RECEPTION DESK

The reception area must not be left unattended. The front desk support staff must not leave the area unless assigned to work in a different area or for rest periods.

The cash drawer must be locked between transactions. Cash bags must be verified at the beginning and end of each business day.

SCHEDULES AND ASSIGNMENTS

Weekly work schedules and assignments will be made by the Center Manager. Work schedules and assignments are subject to change according to personnel needs at the Center for Eye Care locations.

CALL-IN/CALL-BACK

A support staff member called in to work on a day not scheduled and is not on standby, will be given a minimum of three (3) hours' work or a minimum of three (3) hours' pay if given less than three (3) hours' work.

PAYMENT:

A support staff member, who is not on standby but who has completed the work schedule and has left the campus and is then called back to work, will be given a minimum of three (3) hours' work or a minimum of three (3) hours' pay.

A support staff member called to work before his/her normal shift time and who continues working into his/her regular shift, will not be considered to be either called in or called back and will be paid only for all hours worked. If there is a reasonably brief period between the time of completing the work for which he/she is called in early and his/her normal starting time, this time will be considered also as time worked.

EXPECTATIONS:

Each support staff member is expected to work when called in unless excused for good and sufficient reason, which is to be administered by reasonableness and fairness. An employee called in may be expected to do whatever work is necessary even though not part of his/her regular duties providing he/she has the necessary knowledge to perform the work safely and without risk to the equipment or the operation. Common sense and good judgment will need to be exercised by the individual in each case.

OVERTIME:

The hours paid for call-in and call-back will be credited toward hours worked in the week for overtime purposes; however, an employee will not be paid overtime or premium pay twice for the same hours worked nor is there to be pyramiding of pay for call-in or call-back time.

STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT:

To provide support for work-related success, the University offers a broad range of training and development programs. These include courses and seminars, Adult Education and Self Instruction. All campus offerings stress institutional improvement and personal growth and are facilitated by the expertise of the University’s faculty and staff. Many programs are scheduled during work hours while others are held during off-duty hours. Participation requires approval of the Center Manager. The link to the University Human Resource Development benefit can be found at:

http://www.umsystem.edu/ums/departments/hr/manual/304.shtml

In addition the College of Optometry supports other training opportunites; e.g. online training opportunites available through Eyecare Advantage, state sponsored Medicaid programs, College of Optometry continuing education, commercial seminars, etc. Staff may search for available training opportunites or suggest a program or Center managment may have suggestions for your attendance. Participation in the development program is contingent on supervisory approval, workload, scheduling and other departmental considerations.

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FRONT DESK STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

The following front desk standard operating procedures must be followed at all times:

OPENING:

1. Turn on lights and open doors to exam rooms, dispensary, front desk, and unlock external doors.

2. Turn on computer monitors and copier. Verify that the date on IVY is correct.

3. Print schedules for current business day. Verify that all patient records are pulled for the day. Post copies of schedule in each faculty mailbox and at pre-designated common locations.

4. Prepare sign-in sheet with current date. All patients must sign-in upon arrival. Initial and highlight each entry when patient registration is complete. Sign-in sheet should be monitored throughout the day to ensure a timely check-in for each patient.

5. Each person at the front desk will have a $100 cash bag. Verify the $100 before opening and after closing. Report discrepancies to Center management immediately.

6. Open front doors and turn call forward off by 8:00 A.M.

7. After all patients are checked in:

-Print schedules for the following day.

-Call and confirm appointments.

-Assign interns and attending faculty (as required) to patients.

SCHEDULING:

1. Enter patient information in IVY before the appointment is scheduled. This includes insurance information, and verification of eligibility.

2. Verify the number of available interns and patient slots before confirmation of appointments.

3. Schedule appointments according to established protocol. Enter patient's name, address, telephone number, date of birth, social security number and sex. Patients with insurance must bring a current identification card at the time of the appointment and a copy must be placed in the file. Benefits and eligibility must be verified before any appointments are scheduled. This information must also be documented in the patient's file and in the IVY system.

4. Pull file for existing patients or make a new file for new patients.

5. Have attending doctors sign the record of patients that did not keep their appointments. Telephone patients who have not kept their appointment to re-schedule.

CHECK-IN:

1. Highlight and initial sign-in sheet and schedule, showing that the patient is checked in.

2. Verify all established patient demographics. Enter any changes or new information in IVY. All established patients must fill out registration forms if they were seen before IVY was implemented (May 1994). Print patient registration information from IVY. All patients for primary care examinations must complete the history form (except the summer rotation).

3. Make copies of insurance or identification cards and verify eligibility again. This information should then be placed into the patient’s record.

4. Enter the intern name in IVY using AHX. The intern and the procedure or service performed must be recorded in the log books.

5. Print out the superbill, only after verifying all information. Clock the superbill with the current time, write the name of faculty attending and page the intern to the front desk.

CHECK-OUT:

1. Clock the superbill with the check-out time. Mark the patient out on the schedule.

2. Calculate and verify total patient charges on the superbill. Review superbill for accuracy and completeness, including all signatures, diagnosis codes and fees. Inform attending faculty of discrepancies. Collect appropriate fees from the patient. Post charges, adjustments and payments in IVY (A patient is considered a new patient if they have not been seen in 3 or more years).

3. Obtain a fee adjustment waiver for any non-routine adjustments (e.g., educational, professional courtesy) at check-out. This fee adjustment form must be signed by the attending faculty. Routine fee adjustments for faculty, staff, students, alumni, etc., do not require a fee adjustment form, but a photocopy of a current, valid ID must be placed in the patient’s record. Refer to the Center for Eye Care discount policy for additional information.

4. Completed superbills must be posted throughout the day.

5. Mark on the schedule an "F" when the patient record is returned. All files must be accounted for at the end of the day.

PULLING FILES:

1. Pull medical records at least two days in advance. Place a completed outguide in the place of the pulled record. Check outguides daily to monitor medical records retrieval. Retrieve and file records daily. Medical records must be locked at the end of the business day. Access to medical records is restricted to authorized personnel only.

2. All medical records for patients seen on the current business day must be reviewed by the Department Specialist for Center Finances or a designee and should be placed in the "to be reviewed" section. All other records will be refiled.

RELEASE OF MEDICAL INFORMATION:

1. A release of medical information must be signed by the patient, legal representative or legal guardian before any information is released. This authorization must be placed in the medical record.

2. Release of medical information to legal firms and agencies can be processed provided an authorization has been signed by the patient or legal guardian. There is a minimum charge of $25 plus $1 per page for this service. Documentation and duplication of medical records to vocational and rehabilitation agencies is processed upon written request from the agency. There is a $21.50 charge per report or whatever fees they set themselves, unless otherwise negotiated. Consult with Center management before releasing any medical record information.

CLOSING:

1. Closing begins 15-20 minutes prior to scheduled leaving time. A front desk staff member must be present until all patients are checked-out (this may require staff remaining later than scheduled time, which will be adjusted off on another day).

2. Run a tape on the calculator totaling charges, payments and adjustments, creating a receipt. These totals should match the totals on the daily audit tape from IVY. Put the calculator tape in a manila envelope marked "receipts" with the current date.

3. Run a tape on the calculator for cash, checks, credit cards and total, creating a deposit receipt. This total must match the payments on the audit tape from IVY. Put this calculator tape with cash, checks, copy of checks and credit card receipts in a manila envelope marked with the current date, staff member’s name and the total deposit.

4. Put all superbills in numerical order. Record beginning and ending numbers on the superbill log for the day, and initial. Record the number of missing superbills, noting intern / attending faculty. Notify Center management of missing superbills. A superbill must be generated for every patient. There are no exceptions.

5. Put receipt manila envelope, schedules for the day and sign-in sheets with the superbills.

6. Print a copy of the daily audit tape from IVY and place with superbills for the day.

7. Verify that there is $100 in the cash bag. Drop the deposit envelope and cash bag in the safe (if someone will be coming to the front desk to relieve a staff member, do not drop the $100 cash bag).

8. Any shortages or overages must be reported to Center management immediately.

9. Close and lock external doors at appropriate closing time.

10. Put telephone on call forward at closing time.

11. Close and lock all internal doors.

12. Lock file room.

13. Turn off all lights.

14. Set alarm.

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The Center for Eye Care will provide each University employed clinical staff member (front desk staff, dispensary staff, fiscal team staff) with 5 sets of uniforms and one sweater every other year. The allowance will be renewable in March on the even numbered years. Each employee has the opportunity to mix and match the available colors and styles. Employees are responsible for laundering and suitable maintenance of the uniform components. The Center for Eye Care will replace uniform components if they are damaged while working at the Center after approval of the Center Manager. Uniforms damaged outside the workplace will be the responsibility of the employee. Staff wishing to purchase additional uniforms may buy directly from Image Solutions at the University agreed upon price (314 291-1855).

Image Solutions will be providing pants, button down shirts, polo style shirts, sweaters and skirts. An embroidered logo will be sewn on each shirt and sweater. Currently footwear responsibility falls on the employee. Please see guidelines below for footwear options.

Choice of colors:
Tops: blue, gray, white
Pants / Skirts: khaki, blue, black
Sweaters: blue, black

Once uniforms are purchased, they will be the required dress for the Center for Eye Care. Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action.

First impressions are very important. Research studies reveal that many people make initial first impressions solely on looks alone. Before you even say “hello” to the patients, faculty or staff they have evaluated you and made a first impression based upon how you look. If you look shoddy, the impression will be that you and your serviced will also be shoddy. So we need to “Dress For Success.”

The Center for Eye Care support staff must dress in a professional manner. All uniforms must be clean, wrinkle-free and in good condition, e.g. no holes, missing buttons, etc. Belts should be worn if slacks have a belt loop. All shirts are to be tucked into the pants / skirts. Shoes must be polished or brushed, no tennis type shoes are allowed. Open toed, open back without any type of strap, clogs and sandals are not allowed. For females a heel of 2 inches or less is acceptable. Sketcher type shoes, which have bulky soles and heels, are not allowed.

Hair must be neat, trimmed and styled. Hair must be worn or controlled in a manner so as not to present a safety hazard. Beards and mustaches must be neatly trimmed. Good personal hygiene must be observed, to include clean hair, body, hands, clean and well-groomed fingernails, and breath.

Male support staff must wear a business shirt and tie, neat sweaters with shirt and tie are allowed. Sweaters are not to be worn alone. A uniform shirt must be worn underneath. The neck of the sweater must cover the top button of the shirt if no tie is worn. Female support staff must wear professional clothing with hosiery and professional footwear.

Acceptable jewelry: wedding bands, no more than 2 fingers of rings on each hand, conservative necklaces, 2 ear rings per ear and are able to see the lobe. No visible body piercing or tattoos is allowed (eyebrow, tongue, nose studs, nose and lip rings etc.).

Support staff failing to comply with the dress code policy may be sent home without pay to correct the infraction and must return to the Center in a timely fashion.

Exchanges / Purchases

Exchanges and purchases for current and new employees can be made directly with Image Solutions. You may contact Bonnie Willis at Image Solutions. Explain what you are needing and she will assist you. She will work the details out regarding when and how to handle the exchange. Here is her information:

Office (314) 291-1855
Cell (314) 276-8476
Image Solutions
170 Boulder Industrial Drive
Bridgeton, MO 63044

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Additional information and general university policies and procedures can be found in the Human Resources Policy Manual. It can be found online at the following URL:

http://www.system.missouri.edu:80/hrs/manual/index1.htm