I spent six hours correcting charts at my old job. It was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done. Most of it was simple errors. None of it had anything to do with client care and everything to do with insurance payments. And I didn’t get paid for my time.

Why, then, did I do it? They threatened to report me to the board if I didn’t. The guy who called me to talk to me about returning to fix the charts left the threat on a voice mail. It pissed me off, that’s for sure. Not to mention after 28 years in the Chemical Dependency field, this is the first time I was asked to return and make corrections in charting. I think they can’t afford to make a report about charting mistakes. The problem wasn’t me; it was their lack of a quality control process. And to their inadequate training. 

Anyway, I hope I am done with them. When I did the exit interview with their HR department, I said I’d recommend people work for them. After this experience, I am changing my mind about that. You know the people I worked with were great. Friendly, helpful, and funny as all hell. But the office manager was a scold, uptight, and moody. Thank God I didn’t have to deal with her today. The assistant office manager was the one I dealt with, and she runs the support staff anyway.

But it’s clear the leadership is a collection of Peter Principle poster children. They have all risen to the level of their incompetence. And now the impact of this state is raining down on the direct line staff. It hasn’t reached the point of harming clients, but it is keeping the staff from achieving the best outcomes.