Missed visits/no answer

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New to HH, and working per diem. This company doesn't pay if you make an appointment with a patient and the patient is not there (out drinking all night) or locked in the home and cannot answer door. Also, if a patient doesn't answer the phone, we are supposed to go to the home. If they are not there, we don't get paid for the visit. Nor do you get paid for an appt. that you made and the patient isn't available. No pay for travel time, but will pay for mileage. Also if you have to run to the lab, and it takes 30 minutes to get there, there is no additional pay as "that is part of the visit" Is this usual practise? Came from a different setting where I was well compensated on an hourly basis. Thanks

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My company pays a nominal reimbursement for a no-show appt, but does not pay additionally to deliver specimens to the lab etc (other than mileage reimbursement)

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Specializes in ER, CCU, Geri.

We get paid nothing for a no-show appointment OR for delivering specimans (other than mileage) either.

My company pays a nominal reimbursement for a no-show appt, but does not pay additionally to deliver specimens to the lab etc (other than mileage reimbursement)
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Wow, things are so different at my agency here in Ontario (I feel very fortunate). We get paid our hourly rate for all travel time plus mileage reimbursement. For us there are no trips to the lab. We can draw the blood or lab specimens, but the family has to deliver them (we are not allowed to transport blood or specimens). If they have no family or friends to do that, they have to hire a lab service that comes to their home. Also, we are instructed never to go to a home unless we first make contact by phone. Granted, all of us from time to time have gone to check on a frail elderly person that is not answering their phone, I think. But if the client is considered vulnerable and they are "not seen, not found", we are required to call all the hospitals in the area to see if they were admitted and then call the case manager (our case managers are employed by a different government agency). I give all of you US nurses extra credit for your dedication...your clients are lucky! :yeah:

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

If we make an appt and the pt isnt home or refuses, we get paid for the visit. If we just drive there, we get nothing.

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One of my current employers has refused to pay me for times I went to my client's house and they didn't come to the door. I don't know the policy at the other employer. All of my previous employers paid "show up" pay. I have decided not to work for the client who pulled this on me three or four times and got away with it.

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Specializes in ER, CCU, Geri.

It takes a little bit of time, but I try to call the clients the eve. before to give them a general idea when I'll be there the next day. Since I live in a rural area and do a bit of driving each day, I'd rather do this than to get there and not have them home. Sure this is frustrating for you. I don't think we'd probably get paid anything if they weren't home. We'd probably be told to go back and try them later that same day. The only time I've had a problem is when a lady was put in the hospital and didn't tell the agency. I didn't get paid anything for the visit.

One of my current employers has refused to pay me for times I went to my client's house and they didn't come to the door. I don't know the policy at the other employer. All of my previous employers paid "show up" pay. I have decided not to work for the client who pulled this on me three or four times and got away with it.
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It takes a little bit of time, but I try to call the clients the eve. before to give them a general idea when I'll be there the next day. Since I live in a rural area and do a bit of driving each day, I'd rather do this than to get there and not have them home.

I don't do visits. My shifts are a permanent schedule. It is no secret to the client that I come at the same time each scheduled day. Just rudeness on this person's part. Particularly when you consider that there is more than one family member capable of answering the door.

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Specializes in Home Health.

The agency I work for pays an hourly rate, but if we miss a visit during the week they want us to see the patient on Saturday or we will not get paid the hour for that visit or however many visits it may be= how many hours taken out of our check. Is this even lawful when it is not per diem or per visit it is hourly and Saturday is not a scheduled work day?:confused:

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The agency I work for pays an hourly rate, but if we miss a visit during the week they want us to see the patient on Saturday or we will not get paid the hour for that visit or however many visits it may be= how many hours taken out of our check. Is this even lawful when it is not per diem or per visit it is hourly and Saturday is not a scheduled work day?:confused:

You should take this situation to the Labor Board, but be prepared to find a new employer if it works out in your favor.

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Specializes in Home Health.

From my understanding reports to labor board are confidential. How would they know who reported it if it has happened to the majority, maybe all of us? Just curious.

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If you are making a complaint about your pay record how could the employer not know it is you? It is your pay record that will be corrected or not. When I went to the Labor Board, the employer sure knew it was me that was requesting my owed pay. But I did not get the penalties that were due me and I did not press the issue because I did not know that I had that extra money coming to me and the Labor Board did not collect it in my behalf. When I found out I figured they just did the minimum and didn't really care about me.

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