The management of visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors has transformed significantly from the days of simply signing in at the front desk. As senior living communities navigate an increasingly complex environment, the reasons for this transformation are evident.

Senior living communities often lack dedicated security, making safety a challenging issue. Vulnerable senior residents can be targeted for fraud, and the threat of workplace violence is a growing concern. Our recent survey indicates that half of the companies have experienced one to five onsite security incidents.

Given these challenges, senior living communities need to establish a standardized approach to entry management that sets clear processes for staff and ensures a consistent, high-quality experience for all visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors. This involves creating a comprehensive visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor policy.

What is a Visitor, Third-Party Caregiver, and Vendor Policy?

A visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor policy is a set of guidelines and procedures that an organization implements to manage and monitor visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors entering its premises. These policies typically define who is allowed onsite, when they can visit, which areas they can access, and the necessary steps to gain entry. These steps might include signing in, presenting identification, and reviewing and signing legal documents.

In essence, a visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor policy ensures guests are properly vetted and screened, establishes security protocols, and simplifies compliance management. Different visitor types, such as Home Health and Hospice, may have specific requirements, making it essential to tailor policies accordingly.

Steps for Creating Your Visitor, Third-Party Caregiver, and Vendor Policy

A well-crafted visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor policy enhances security and ensures a welcoming experience for guests. Here’s how to develop an effective plan:

Identify Your Visitor, Third-Party Caregiver, and Vendor Types:

Determine the various types of visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors your community may receive, such as contractors, vendors, job candidates, and resident family members or friends. Tailor the information you capture and the access levels you provide based on each guest’s reason for visiting.

Set Up Pre-Visit Communication:

Clear communication before a visit improves the visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor experience and speeds up check-ins. Share important information like parking details, check-in steps, if an ID is required, and contact points upon arrival.

Maintain a Digitized Record of Visitor, Third-Party Caregiver, and Vendor Entries and Exits:

Collect essential information from visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors for auditing purposes, such as names, contact details, visit purposes, areas accessed, and duration of stay. Digitized visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor logs are crucial for checking security measures and proving compliance.

Determine Necessary Legal Documents for Signature:

Depending on the nature of the visit, visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors may need to sign legal documents such as video consent forms and safety waivers. Automate the distribution and signing of these documents as part of the check-in process.

Establish Procedures for Identity Verification:

This could involve checking government-issued IDs or performing background checks. Modern visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor management systems can integrate with identity screening software and offer features like photo capture and facial recognition.

Develop a Process for Creating and Printing Visitor, Third-Party Caregiver, and Vendor Badges:

Decide what details to print on badges, such as full names, agency names, sign-in times, and custom messages. Visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor management systems allow customization of badges, including adding logos, photos, and barcodes.

Implement Email and SMS Alerts:

Customize notification settings to alert appropriate staff as visitors, third-party caregivers, and vendors arrive, depending on what they have arrived for (to meet staff, visit a resident, attend an event, tour the community, etc.). This could include choosing notification methods (email or SMS) and tailoring the message content. Adjust settings to ensure notifications are sent during specific times or for denied entries.

Conduct and Interactions with Community Management

To maintain a professional and safe environment within the community, it’s important that all vendors and third-party caregivers adhere to specific conduct guidelines while on the premises. These guidelines ensure that interactions remain professional, minimize disruptions to residents, and align with community policies:

• Maintain Professionalism: Vendors and third-party caregivers should keep conversations with staff in resident areas minimal and strictly professional, ensuring that resident privacy and comfort are prioritized.
• Adhere to Management Instructions: All educational or promotional materials must be approved by community management before they are distributed or used within the facility. Additionally, third-party caregivers and vendors should enter resident rooms only when requested and directed by the resident or community staff.
• Follow Dress Code: Appropriate attire, such as business wear or scrubs, is required, and all vendors and caregivers must wear the community-issued Accushield identification badge at all times. Personal or company-provided badges are not acceptable substitutes.

Vendor and Third-Party Caregiver Guidelines

In line with the broader visitor management policy, specific guidelines for vendors and third-party caregivers help ensure that their activities support the community’s goals while maintaining security and compliance:

• Access Restrictions: Vendors are permitted in administrative, medical records, and nursing stations only with special permission. Access to these areas must align with community needs and policies.
• Compliance with Policies: All vendors must adhere strictly to the community’s policies and procedures. Any exceptions to these rules require explicit approval from community management.
• Gifting and Entertainment Policies: To avoid conflicts of interest, gifts from vendors to employees or administrative staff are limited to items of nominal value. Additionally, social entertainment with vendors is only allowed if it serves a valid business purpose and complies with community policies.
• Evaluation and Sponsorship: Samples provided by vendors are accepted solely for evaluation purposes, in line with community policy. Consulting, research, and sponsorship activities involving vendors must benefit the community and adhere strictly to business purposes. Vendor performance is regularly evaluated, with poor performance potentially leading to disqualification from future business.

By reinforcing these guidelines and integrating them with a broader visitor, third-party caregiver, and vendor management policy, senior living communities can create a secure, compliant, and welcoming environment. This holistic approach not only enhances safety but also ensures a consistent and positive experience for everyone involved.