self marketing

[hersheynurse]

Hi everyone ! This is my first post but I have been lurking for some time and appreciate all the helpful information.

I have recently returned to HH after being away for a few years and am so glad to be back. I went back to an agency I had worked for in the past but I am now in a different region and different office. I am disappointed that the visit rate I am geting is less than I got five years ago and the mileage reimbursement is low. I also am not as busy as I want to be. I am a PRN and want to stay that way. I interveiwed to work for a second agency to supplement and their reimbursement was higher. I would like to work for both - I feel a loyalty and comfort with the first one and I get a referral and do all the revisits and completely case manage. The second company only wants me to cover the visits that the full timers can't which means probably a lot of last minute work - but much better pay.

So all that said here is my question : I have good relationships with docs and surgeons in my area and know a lot of the care coordinators at my local hospital. Can I market myself as a HH nurse, get the referral info and then turn around and give it to either of the agencies I am working for? Since I do not know all the medicare laws, codes, billing etc - I would need them to do that. I would want in return a decent rate and the chance to case manage it for the length of the cert period?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. :typing

[caliotter3]

You have to be very careful how you go about this practice. You can be considered to be in a conflict of interest status and in direct contravention of the agency corporate compliance rules by either or both of the agencies. I have referred potential clients on many an occasion. I have been very up front about what I was doing with the client. I only referred them to the better agency and I told the client why. One time a client got angry after years of poor service and, on their own impetus, took their business from one of my agencies to the other, with no input from me, and asked to have me work on the case. You can guess what happened. I got accused of stealing the case for the new agency when I did no such thing. If something like this is in the works, I always make it a point to let the client know that there is no guarantee that I will go with the case, and that I can suffer consequences from the losing agency, as this has happened to me. When you get a reputation for stealing business from one agency to give to another, you may find yourself in a bad way, whether you are guilty or not.

And coincidentally, the reward I have received from the employer to whom I always referred new clients and new employees: after several years of faithful service, they threw me into the gutter. Never again, will I ever show such loyalty to an employer. Not saying this will happen to you, but you have to be careful and watch out for your own interests.

[hersheynurse]

Thanks for the information Calliotter3. I certainly don't want to do anything that would be perceived as underhanded. I just want to get a good rate and first dibs on the case if I am going to be going out there promoting the business. I am not sure what approach to take. Thanks again!