Mortuary Administration - Disasters and Funeral Service Management

Diseases

-Ebola -Zika -Influenza -Avian (bird) flu -COVID-19 -Swine HINI flu -pandemics

Potential Victims

-Residents: those who lost homes and/or other possessions from a flood, earthquake, or tornado -Survivors: passengers from an air, bus, or train disaster

Accidental Events

-air crash -train crash -fire -bus crash -boat/ship crash

Goals

-broad statements about what an organization wants to achieve -developed in the strategic planning process -form the basic plan or direction which decisions and activities are focused -motivational in nature and are usually stated in broad, general terms without reference to a time period

General Concerns

-care for survivors and family assistance -protect disaster site for investigation -mark and record location of remains -trailer management -release of remains

Management of Assets and Liabilities

-cash flow -accounts receivable -inventory -fixed assets

Acceptable Use Policy

-company equipment and supplies -cell phones and the internet -social media -substance abuse policy

Organizing

-coordination of how, where, and when actions should take place -group work into logical patterns

Office Systems and Records

-death certificates -client records -records required by Government Agencies -maintenance records -personnel records -financial records -CONFIDENTIALITY AND SAFEGUARD OF OFFICE RECORDS

Motivating Process

-determine objectives or purposes -understand employee needs and wants -communicate w/ employees -acknowledge generational differences -integrate employee-firm interests

Telephone Systems

-determining equipment needs -number and location of extensions -fax machines -cellular systems -call forwarding -answering services -internet providers

Team Concepts

-establish team goals and objectives -training -team building -Total Quality Management -assessment -employee feedback

Planning

-establishing a mission statement -setting goals and objectives -formulating a strategy for achieving goals and objectives

Controlling/Evaluating

-evaluating performance in terms of goals and objectives -reformulating goals and objectives as needed

Natural Disasters

-floods -earthquakes -hurricanes -tornadoes -volcanic eruption -forest fires -avalanches -drought -famine -tsunami -blizzards

Avoiding Discrimination

-hiring -promotion -operations -assignment of duties -w/ client families

Man-Made Disasters

-homicide -suicide -arson -kidnapping -terrorism -biological warfare -chemical warfare -oil spills -chemical contamination -active shooters

Concepts of Management-To the Personnel/Staff

-human relations: motivating people in organizations to develop teamwork, which effectively fulfills their needs and achieves organizational objectives -motivating process

Leading/Directing

-implementing and executing the planned activities -guiding and supervising activities

Multidisciplinary Approach

-involves funeral director/embalmer -certification of death: MD, ME, JP -registration of death: funeral director -final disposition: funeral director, cemeterian, and clergy

Hiring Practices

-job descriptions -employment advertising -application -references -interview procedures -American w/ Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance

Retaining Employees

-job turnover is very costly -indirect cost associated w/ interviewing and training -direct costs of disrupted work and idle equipment -effective managers: positive employer-employee relations, ensure/enhance employee retention

Rolling Stock (Livery)

-lead car -casket coach -limousine -transfer vehicle -flower car -utility vehicle

Federal, State, and Local Concerns

-legal considerations: jurisdiction over disaster area, responsibility for disaster area -financial considerations: who will pay? Federal, state, local, private

Disasters Vary According to:

-length of time (moments, months, years) -size and scope -damage -injury -death -disruption of family and community

Items Requiring Inspection

-livery -grounds and parking lot -prep room and private areas -public access areas -office equipment -embalming and related equipment

Financial Management

-management of assets and liabilities -utilization and monitoring and assets, revenue, expenditures, and capital -accounting systems -budgeting -monitoring of cost analysis and price structure -management of capital

Secondary Objectives

-meeting expenses -providing a reasonable return on investment -capital improvements

Concepts of Management-To the Client Families

-more service oriented than product oriented -emphasis is placed on social responsibility and satisfying the needs of the client families -acknowledge the concept of caveat venditor -management have the obligation to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of the client and family -strive to provide client families w/ the knowledge and options to make informed choices -responsibility to serve the total community w/ meeting the needs of the client family -ensure that all advertising and informational programs are done in an ethical manner -services should be available to those of every economic circumstance

Personnel Manual

-most effective way of ensuring all employees know & understand policies and procedures -philosophy of firm -job descriptions and expectations -operational practices -employee evaluations and promotion procedures

Types of Disasters

-natural events -man-made events -accidental events -diseases

Employee Training

-new employee training -annual training: continuing education and personal growth

Physical Examinations

-new hires for pre-existing conditions -to maintain employee health -related to OSHA requirements

Survivors

-one who outlives another person or event -often as questions like Why me? Why didn't I die? -Survivor's Guilt

Disaster

A sudden event such as an accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life

Business Plan

A summary of how a business owner, manager, or entrepreneur intends to organize the business endeavor and implement activities necessary for the venture to succeed

Emergency

An unforeseen combination of circumstances resulting in the need for immediate action

Caveat Venditor

Latin for "let the seller beware" -the commercial principle that the seller is responsible for the product and discourages selling goods of unreasonable quality

Specialized Activities

Related to the General Concerns -communications -notification -identification -distribution -consolation

Standards of Care

Specific procedures to be followed to ensure that all essential details are addressed in the manner that the reasonably prudent funeral director would follow under the same or similar circumstances

Office Management

The administration and supervision of office duties, functions, and equipment -Equipment: desks, filing cabinets, computers, typewriters, chairs, copy machines, fax machines, printers

Advertising

The art of making the public aware of the services or commodities that a business has for sale -customer relations -public relations

Total Quality Management (TQM)

The efforts of all members of an organization directed to ensure that quality in the production of goods and services is achieved

Facilities Management

The monitoring and maintaining of the funeral home physical plant, workspace, and funeral equipment -State of Texas Requirements: fire safety and health ordinances, adequate embalming equipment and prep room according to OSHA guidelines, ADA requirements -should be checked and monitored: neatness and cleanliness, repairs, maintenance, replacement

Human Resource Management

The process of acquiring, training, developing, motivating, and appraising a sufficient quantity of qualified employees to perform necessary activities; developing activities and an organizational climate conducive to maximum efficiency and worker satisfaction

Marketing Management

The process of planning and executing the development, pricing, promotion, and distribution of an organization's goods and/or services -determine target market -establish marketing mix -emphasize funeral goods and services -evaluate sales: customer satisfaction, consumer follow-ups, retention of customers

Survivor's Guilt

When a person feels guilt because they survived a life-threatening event when others did not

DMORT: Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team

-originally created by a group of funeral directors and the NFDA -goal was to assist w/ dealing w/ a mass fatality situation -teams are now made up of funeral directors, MEs, Mental health professionals, fingerprint experts, medical records specialist, anthropologists, medico-legal investigators, etc -provide personnel for recovery, identification, processing, preparing and disposing of fatality victims -many states have local teams -can handle the event during the first 72 hours -can request federal team -quicker response -often self-sufficient morgues and stations -most funding through FEMA

Responsibilities of Personnel

-personal conduct: professional -personal appearance and attire: appropriate dress, conformity w/ local customs, appropriate for duties performed

Functions of Management

-planning -staffing -organizing -motivating -leading/directing -controlling/evaluating

Staff Development

-professional growth -continuing education (requirement for license renewal, 16hrs in TX) -applying best practices

Primary Objectives

-proper care of the deceased -fulfilling the needs of the client families -fulfilling the needs of the community

Concepts of Management-Responsibilities of Manager

-provide leadership -encourage employee participation -understand and manage change -understand human relations -create a workable and viable organization -communicate effectively

Role of Funeral Service Personnel (working w/ DMORT)

-provide support and assistance for DMORT team -follow directions of DMORT commander and unit coordinators -become trained members of DMORT team

Obtaining Vehicles

-purchase -leasing -livery service -joint ownership

Types of Discrimination

-racial -ethnic -gender -age -marital status -religious -national origin -sexual orientation

Compensation and Benefits

-salary -compensatory time -benefits: health, dental, and life insurance; vacation and sick time; retirement

Staffing

-select and train employees for organizational tasks -assign employees w/ the necessary skills and certifications to perform the needed tasks

Objectives

-specific statement of ends, the achievement of which are to be completed within a specific period of time -used in the management control process, and provide a quantitative and time framework to the organization's goals

Concepts of Management-To the Deceased

-standards of care -responsibilities: ensure dignity of deceased, protect personal information, and protect personal property

Disaster Response (requires)

-strategic planning -organized care and preparation of the deceased disaster victims -multidisciplinary approach

Indirectly Involved Potential Victims

-surviving family members -disaster responders: firemen, police, doctors, nurses, funeral directors, clergy -community where disaster occurred: students in school shootings, bombings

Concepts of Management-To the Professional Associates

-treat other funeral professionals as colleagues rather than competitors -maintain professional relationships to encourage growth and interaction -develop strong relationship w/ clergy, medical professionals, hospice staff, medical examiners, law enforcement, tissue banks, etc.

Probationary Period

-typically 90 days from Hire Date -includes initial performance review

Motivating

-understand employees' needs and wants -intergrate goals and objectives of the company

Federal Disaster Response Plan

-used in any federally declared emergency situation -encompasses 15 Emergency Support Functions (ESF): mortuary care falls under ESF8 for Public Health and Medical Services -created by the National Disaster Medical Systems (NDMS)