Message from the President

Seasons Greetings to all!

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season!

Thanks again to Gail Yatso, whose leadership skills as WVPMA President have proved to be an asset to this great organization!  I will strive to be as dedicated as Gail and all past-presidents have been to the WVPMA.

Thank you to everyone who attended the December meeting with Stephen DeTullio!  Stephen was a very interactive and informative speaker.  Being an employment attorney, he was able to answer many questions that we all deal with on a daily basis.  “Should I hire the experienced receptionist with the questionable police record or the inexperienced grandmother of three?”  Make sure you know the correct interview questions or you could find yourself in the middle of discriminatory allegations. 

It is a good idea to have job descriptions for every position within your hospital and it should be revisited often to keep them current with particular hospital needs.  Accurate interviews, well-written job descriptions and regular documentation is your best defense when it comes to discrimination and unemployment investigations.

Stephen also discussed workplace harassment and though it can be difficult to prove, it is vital to have policies and protocols in place.  All employees must be aware of the steps to report suspected harassment.  An employment handbook should outline this for your employees.  One of the points that Stephen made was that there are laws that make harassment at the workplace illegal but there is no law against someone being a “jerk”.  I’m sure we have all dealt with our fair share of people who fall into this category.

As 2008 is upon us, it is the perfect time to “tweak” that handbook!   Stephen gave us many suggestions as to what to include in these very important books.  Do you have a weapons policy in place?  Do your employees give signed acknowledgement upon receiving their employee handbook?  Is a dress code outlined for your team members?  Remember to have an attorney review and approve the contents of the handbook to avoid costly fees if your hospital comes under future legal scrutiny.

Stephen touched on so many interesting situations that I’m sure all questions were not answered, or maybe you have since thought of more questions.  He did leave his contact information if anyone is interested in speaking with him directly.  Please contact me if you would like his email address.

The WVPMA is lucky to have such informative speakers that target the issues that we deal with everyday!  On February 14^th, 2008, Jim Gilmore will be presenting DEA regulations to the group in Fond du Lac at the Ramada Plaza Hotel.  We hope to see you all there!

Best wishes for a healthy holiday season and great start to 2008!

Warmest Regards,

Julie Hilker

WVPMA President 2008

Appanasha Pet Clinics

Email:  appanasha@tds.net

Phone:  920-725-8307