Large hospitals rely on countless volunteers. It's an obvious benefit to have such a huge workforce for free that is also paying significant fees for the "right" to be a volunteer. In Aug, the volunteers for a large hospital in the Houston area had their required annual medical tests done and submitted the usual paperwork. After many delays in final approval for all new volunteers, it is decided that all volunteers (both old and new) must now go to a 3rd party (the kind with general public and long waits) for a drug test. A fit test is also added as a requirement and has to be taken at the hospital on one of only two days that it's offered. This doesn't seem like a good business plan, although I know little about the Healthcare world.
Simply a Liability decision from the looks of it...cheaper liability insurance as well. Can't just let anyone come in your place of business and put employees and patients at risk. The cost of that risk is much greater than paying for the drug sceenings, test, and volunteer decline. This pretty much goes for most businessed but the risk is greater in the healthcare arena.
From the little bit of information that I've heard, this was all an indirect result of the hospital recently being acquired by one of those "Corporate" hospital groups that immediately started looking for ways to cut costs. The in-house nurses that handled the medical tests for volunteers was one of those positions, leading to the outsourcing to the 3rd party. I'm not sure why the drug and fit tests were added but perhaps related to the agreement between the hospital and 3rd party. Last year, one of the volunteers mentioned that they have to earn a minimum number of credits through their volunteer organization. One credit can be earned for taking a bag of dirty laundry from the NICU group, washing at home, and then bringing it back to the hospital. Due to other cutbacks, someone at the hospital called my volunteer friend and asked why the bags of laundry were piling up (volunteers sign their name on a list when taking the laundry). Nobody at the hospital realized that it was their responsibility if not picked up by volunteers.
Also, it's not so much about the drug test or new requirements. It's that all of the volunteers went through their normal process, couldn't get an answer for two months, and then were asked to do it all again. The 3rd party apparently has an administrative problem where they will sometimes bill the volunteer directly (instead of hospital) and then struggle with correcting it until after 2nd and 3rd notices are sent to volunteers (even after repeated calls to 3rd party). I don't volunteer much, usually only one-time type events. I was just thinking that I'd pick something else if I were a volunteer for this hospital. If only our company could get free volunteer work that easy. It seems like the hospitals take it for granted.
It is rare for the expensive drug test to be ordered even by huge corporations. Usually the expensive ones are ordered after the 1st round of test are inconclusive. However, even if the expensive test were ordered in the healthcare setting the cost would be minimal compared to the liability of a huge lawsuit.
Back to the question. How can they get anybody to volunteer if there are significant fees to volunteer?
I do not believe he is saying there is any financial cost to the volunteer. However, some of the volunteer were billed directly in error which should be refunded by the hospital if the volunteer paid the bill instead of waiting for the correction. Some of these volunteer need credits so are willing to take the additional time and additional requirements to get those credits.
