I had an audit at a Dr. office a few months ago and again recently. The first time I just walked in, as per instructions. Before I did the recent audit it was requested that I call the office first. The following is what I wrote to the scheduler:

I have some concerns about the Dr's office at **** . The last time I did the audit, as soon as I got to the office, the girls went into the back and didn't come out. One of them even left. It seemed odd, but I didn't think much about it.

This time, I called to let them know that I was coming in today. As soon as I did, the woman who I was speaking to said she was going to be leaving the office but there were other people there and I could come in to take the pictures.

When I got there, 30 minutes later, their office was dark and everyone appeared to be gone. There is another office next door within the same building. The adjoining door was locked even though there were people at the counter. The woman came to the door and asked if she could help me. I explained that I was here to take pictures of the other office. She said, "We have nothing to do with that office." I asked her what was the name of the manager for the other office (the one I was to take the pictures of). She said she had no idea. I felt that was strange since they both work in the same building. I just get a vibe that something is not quite right there. I'm not sure what is going on but it just feels odd.

Just as an FYI, I did not write any of this in my report but I sent the info to my scheduler. She got back to me and she said she'd added what I had written to my report and it sounded fishy to her too.

I was just wondering if any one else had ever had an experience like this and if so, what did you do.

You did exactly what you were supposed to.

WOW...that sounds SO strange! Makes you wonder what's really going on there, doesn't it???

I wonder if this story will have a happy ending.

That never happened to me during medical office audits. However, at one location HIPPA was explained in detail to me and I was informed that I could make an appointment with a specific person. That person would accompany me to the requested places within the office. I did not consider that as shady. I considered it as a potentially good thing for the patients. Based upon that, I have a question for the OP.

@OP: Can you tell us if there was a level of fear there? If so, is it possible that the staff members feared revealing any information, even inadvertently? The staff has tremendous responsibility for privacy and, possibly, protection, for the patients. Just curious.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2018 09:01PM by Shop-et-al.

Of course, it could have been, but there were no patients in the office either time I was there. There were no files where I could see them and I was taking pictures of a TV screen and a billboard in the outer office. I can see what you are saying about patient privacy and if the office was filled with people and they were afraid I'd accidentally take photos of the patients they would be justified.. I just don't think that was the case.

IMO, they probably went to lunch or something mundane. I seriously doubt a couple of office employees care one iota about any of this. If anything, they might view it as an annoyance.

Personally, I would have submitted the shop as a closed location, or whatever the shop guidelines said to do.

I've recently begun doing these and I wish they'd be more specific about what we are supposed to look for that's considered "shady." It would make things easier if I knew "why" I was having to ask certain questions too. I'm really not sure if I'm going to continue doing these but I'll give it a few more tries before I decide no more.

Wait. You’re supposed to be looking specifically for anything “shady”? Is that actually in the shop instructions?

Let me define this a bit. They never asked me to do anything more than take pictures of the bulletin boards and the TV. In my initial report I never mentioned my concerns. I wrote to the scheduler and explained what had happened and she's the one who decided to add it to my report. I was going by my gut feelings, which is not scientific by any means, but I know a few people who have gone to that office and they felt that something wasn't right there too.

Maybe the reason for the audit?

Hmm, the ones that I have done in the past you just showed up gave them the authorization letter wham ban in and out unless you had to replace the poster.

could be a front! LOL. (hey, it happens)....

@Megs7521 wrote:

IMO, they probably went to lunch or something mundane. I seriously doubt a couple of office employees care one iota about any of this. If anything, they might view it as an annoyance.

Personally, I would have submitted the shop as a closed location, or whatever the shop guidelines said to do.

Seriously? Are you that GULLIBLE! Reading all that happened it is very obvious to anyone who doesn't believe in Santa Claus or The Easter Bunny that this company WAS trying to hide something.

@SoCalDude wrote:

@Megs7521 wrote:

IMO, they probably went to lunch or something mundane. I seriously doubt a couple of office employees care one iota about any of this. If anything, they might view it as an annoyance.

Personally, I would have submitted the shop as a closed location, or whatever the shop guidelines said to do.

Seriously? Are you that GULLIBLE! Reading all that happened it is very obvious to anyone who doesn't believe in Santa Claus or The Easter Bunny that this company WAS trying to hide something.

If you worked in a medical office, how eager would you be to give someone any access?
I know who I am in these audits, but the people in the offices do not know this.
If you were a patient in a medical office and were talking, or crying, or baring it all, would you rather be where the staff will cya, or would you rather be where the staff will let anyone in without a guarantee that the vendor or auditor or nut job will not find you for jollies or worse?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2018 01:25AM by Shop-et-al.

This does sound super weird and shady to me. I once did a mystery shop at a very well known gas station where the snack shop was filled with drug paraphernalia for sale. When I took the required outside photos, the station owner or employee confronted me in an agressive way, clearly not pleased that I was taking pictures. I hopped in my car and drove off without replying, while the employee took pictures of ME. After that, I was much more careful about taking covert photos!

I don't think that this was a "ahem: massage establishment"

@iShop123 wrote:

I wonder if this story will have a happy ending.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

If you worked in a medical office, how eager would you be to give someone any access?
I know who I am in these audits, but the people in the offices do not know this.
If you were a patient in a medical office and were talking, or crying, or baring it all, would you rather be where the staff will cya, or would you rather be where the staff will let anyone in without a guarantee that the vendor or auditor or nut job will not find you for jollies or worse?

Fair point. Except when the auditor comes in they have an authorization letter than can be verified once they show up. As I said earlier - for the auditor being turned away is great. I get paid the same as if I did the audit but I am out of there much faster and with less work done. Twice I was turned away and I actually thanked the person saying they saved me a lot of work on the report and I still got paid the same. No skin off my big fat.........."nose."

I recently was at a new docs office with a friend who was a new patient. It sounds to me like this audit is not of the docs office but of the TV info equipment that was placed in the office. The office I visited had a tv with "health" news running and in addition many many ads for brand name medications. I sat there waiting and was very skeptical myself that the doc in question running this info by the waiting room patients was too influenced by big Pharma. Now, I have no idea who or what you were auditing but I could definitely see staff not wanting to have anything to do with that in your face advertising if that is what it was. Or possibly there was an issue if the company providing the tv and info wanted some quotas of prescriptions written in exchange. There could be all sorts of reasons the staff was handling this with a 10 foot pole. By the way the waiting room was empty except for me. I considered this to be considerate patient scheduling and not at all shady.

This audit relates to healthcare informational materials that are aimed at medical patients. The materials may include pamphlets, posters, brochures, or television [infomercials, brain-washing, or something?].

The auditors enter medical offices for purposes other than being treated there. The LOA prevents us from being trespassers even as it is a 'permission slip' and potential marketing tool.

Each location is unique. Some locations may have stronger shields up because they know from past events that it is best for them and their patients to keep unnecessary persons at bay. Anyway, I appreciate the OP's question and the entire thread.

Some medical offices ARE shady!! Years ago, I was having a procedure at a dermatologist's office. This was a completely cosmetic thing, not covered by insurance. I had even had it paid for in advance by my boyfriend. Day of, the receptionist is INSISTING on me giving them my health insurance card "In case of emergency". I refuse to give them the card actually having to lie and say I don't have health insurance. I am guessing that the office would bill my insurance for a covered procedure, mole removal or something. I was too young and naive at the time to try and catch them by actually giving my card and contacting my insurance company later to find what the docs office had billed for. At least I was smart enough to realize there was some kind of scam they were trying to pull.

Huh? Why would you think they were scamming? Every Dr office I've ever been in wanted my medical insurance even eye Dr and dentist. It's in case something crazy happens that would be covered by medical insurance. And if they did try to bill something extra your medical insurance would send you a statement of everything they paid, at least mine always has.

Double billing and ghost billing happen a lot. It's the "In" thing.

I know a few independent nail techs in my area have started working out of Dr's offices. They are their own independent business and simply rent out the room. I wonder if they were trying to hide something similar. Something tells me everyone in the back office of a doctor's office needs HIPPA training, which obviously these nail techs don't have. Just my opinion.