Practice Management Alert

Question: A colleague who works at the front desk has a “side hustle” watching pets and providing basic dog grooming services. I heard her asking a patient to consider her if they ever need a pet sitter, and I’m worried it might violate an anti-kickback statute. Is this OK behavior?

AAPC Forum Participant

Answer: While soliciting customers for paid services of a nonhealthcare business entity may not violate the particulars of healthcare anti-kickback regulations, patients seeking medical care may not enjoy the distraction of solicitation.

If you don’t have an official policy delineating inappropriate conversation between employees and patients during interactions in the medical office, establishing and documenting such a policy in the employee handbook could be a good idea.