Massage & Bodywork

JULY | AUGUST 2020

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Minimize your general liability risk by performing important safety checks of your office space Check to ensure all areas are clear of any fall risks, such as slippery rugs, electrical cords, or other hazards that may cause your client to trip and fall. If you have slippery floors, take precautions to minimize your risk. View your space and imagine what could potentially be hazardous: an exposed table warmer cord or a decorative vase sitting on the floor? Inspect your equipment for any wear and tear or any signs of being faulty. Make sure all bolts and screws are tight. Claims have occurred from a massage table or chair breaking or tipping while a client was getting on or off. If a client has any disabilities, make sure they are assisted, if needed, when getting on or off the table or getting dressed. Make sure that a client knows how to get on and off the table properly. There have been claims where a client was getting on or off the massage table while leaning on the front or back of the table, causing it to tip and the client to fall. Are intake forms and SOAP notes important? Yes! In some cases, a client will not immediately inform you that they were injured by you while performing massage or bodywork. What if a client calls you out of the blue six months after you provided a massage and claims that you injured them by causing deep bruising and tissue damage, and that they have been seeing a doctor for their injuries and they are missing work. Immediately, you would want to check your client notes for the specifics of the massage provided. What techniques did you provide? How did the client present before their massage, and was there anything noted on their intake form that may have contraindicated the massage? In the event of a claim, those intake forms and notes will be needed during investigation of the claim and may even be subpoenaed. When something goes wrong during or following a service Assess the extent of injuries or damage. Obtain medical help or call the police if warranted or required by law. Do not be overly defensive or hostile to the claimant. Do what you can to soothe the situation. Many times, minor claims are dropped once the claimant's emotional anger diminishes. It is not advisable to offer complimentary treatments or refund service fees in an attempt to correct the alleged problem, as this may be construed as an admission of guilt. Report the incident to ABMP. Listen to your client, stay within your scope of practice, and obtain adequate training for any new modalities you want to add to your practice to protect your client and yourself. By Debbie Higdon, ABMP Risk Management BEING SAFE While You Hope It Will Never Happen, Claims Do Occur, and Clients Do Suffer Injuries.

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