Vendor Compliance

Last May in the Swine Flu and Vendor Credentialing post, we highlighted the new reality that a number of customer hospitals were email visiting vendor representatives to new H1N1 precautions.   These hospitals relied on their Vendormate registration files for current vendor contact information.    Most of these notes were gentle reminders of communicable disease best practices and basically read, “if you’re sick, stay home.”

With H1N1 still with us, hospitals are again alerting visiting representatives to new precautions.   Hospitals want to require seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccinations, but know that distribution issues make that impossible.   Instead they are requiring the immunizations or a mask when on site.

Most of these customers have adjusted their Vendormate-based program to communicate the shot or mask requirement and to track compliance. 

To reinforce the message, Vendormate badges at these hospitals now include a WARNING by the badge photo indicating that a MASK is required if the visiting representative hasn’t yet been able to complete the vaccinations.   This message is critical for the hospital staff to be able enforce the requirement quickly and effectively without interfering with the vendor’s business routine.