How to Handle Visit Tasks That Aren’t Approved
Learn about what to do and how to respond if asked to complete an unapproved visit task.
As a Papa Pal, you may find yourself in a situation where a member asks you to complete an unapproved task during a visit. While your intentions might be good, completing a task that isn’t approved can pose a risk of injury to yourself or a member. It can also create false expectations for the member if the task is not part of their health plan. For these reasons, it’s important that you do not perform visit tasks that are not approved by Papa.
Below are some scenarios that may occur and suggestions for how to respond:
Scenario 1: A member requests an unapproved task
🗣 You can respond: “I’m sorry, I haven’t been trained or approved to handle that type of task. However, I will document in my visit notes that this might be something you are interested in Papa offering in the future. If you have any questions or concerns, I recommend you reach out to Papa support. In the meantime, I’m happy to help you with another task that is part of our Papa services.”
💡 Note: If the member mentions that another Papa Pal performed an unapproved task during a previous visit, apologize for the inconsistency and advise them to contact Papa support with questions about approved visit tasks.
Scenario 2: A member requests a different task than the one originally listed on the visit
🗣 You can respond: “It seems that you requested a visit for assistance with (the originally listed task), Please contact Papa support at (800-348-7951) to update the visit type. In the meantime, would you like me to help you with the original task? Alternatively, I can use our time to contact Papa on your behalf to update your visit type.”
💡 Note: If the member insists you complete a new task, involve Papa support in the conversation. If the task is approved, they will need to add it to the visit record, and you may be asked to complete it if there is enough time. If the task is not approved, Papa support can guide the member through which approved tasks are available to them.
Scenario 3: You notice a member needs help with a task even though they didn’t request it explicitly
You should only perform tasks that are requested by the member. If you notice that a member needs additional support, or you'd like to know how to support members with certain conditions, let us know in the feedback you provide after the visit and we will do our best to provide them with the necessary help. If a member needs a task that is not currently offered by Papa, other members may likely require that support as well. You can suggest that we add this task as an approved service when providing feedback after your visit is completed.
Please note that more information about Papa-approved visit tasks can be found in the "Understanding Visit Tasks" guide. If you are still unsure whether a requested task is approved, please contact Papa support to find out.