OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION
PROFESSIONAL STAFF POLICY
Subject:PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL / Applies to:
Doctoral Level Professional Staff and Mid-Level Providers / Rev.
December 7, 2006
/
POLICY
It is the policy of Ochsner Clinic Foundation (OCF) to support professional travel (outside of CME activities) among Ochsner physicians and other professional staff to further advance their clinical excellence, to learn new skills, and to make podium presentations at highly respected, peer-reviewed programs of national and international scope. In addition, this travel will preserve the visibility of OCF’s academic missions, enhance OCF’s reputation as a scientific center of learning, and enable OCF to recruit and retain distinguished physicians and scientists. It is the responsibility of the Department Chairmen and Section Heads, along with the Regional Medical Directors, to ensure that these professional travel requests benefit the staff member, OCF and ultimately the patients. Travel for CME is covered under a separate policy.
DEFINITIONS
Travel-Professional (TRPRO):
Travel undertaken to contribute to professional societies for the primary purposes of fulfilling OCF’s academic mission or enhancing OCF’s institutional prestige. Examples include first author presentation of a referred abstract or poster at a nationally prominent meeting; presiding as an officer or a member of a major committee at the annual meeting of a national society; serving as faculty for a prestigious course or visiting professor at a medical school or recognized teaching medical facility; attending investigator meetings for IRB approval research projects; or travel as program director of a residency program. The following items must be submitted for the Travel-Professional (TRPRO) request to be considered:
1. The Professional Travel Request Form (Attachment A), and
2. The Letter of Invitation.
The Department Chairman/Section Head and the Regional Medical Director will determine whether or not the proposed trip qualifies as TRPRO. Informing the Appointment Data Entry Department for patient scheduling purposes would still be done utilizing the same process as used before with the Request to Book Out Form.
Travel Administrative (TRADM):
Trips undertaken at the request of the CEO, Executive Vice President, Vice President, Regional Medical Director, Department Chairman or Section Head to represent OCF in administrative matters or enhance the collective skills of the section/department qualify as Travel-Administrative (TRADM). Examples include training in order to bring to OCF a new or enhanced capability of importance to the organization; representing OCF at legislative or regulatory forums; travel for regional or international marketing purposes; or trips taken to evaluate equipment that OCF is considering purchasing. The following items must be submitted for the TRADM request to be considered:
1. The Administrative Travel Request Form (Attachment B) signed by management.
The appropriate Vice President or Regional Medical Director will determine whether or not the proposed trip qualifies as TRADM and must sign the form.
TIME ALLOCATION
1. There is a ten-day (10) limit of Travel-Professional (TRPRO) per calendar year for members of the professional staff. This allotment includes meeting time and travel time. Requests for travel in excess of the annual allotment require approval by the Regional Medical Director.
2. Time out of the Clinic for meetings or travel of one-half day or greater accrues toward the annually determined allowance.
3. The general principle used in calculating the amount of TRPRO allowed to be taken for travel to and from a meeting is limited to weekday travel only and is as follows:
a. A maximum total of one day for both travel to and from a meeting within the Continental United States.
b. A maximum total of two days for both travel to and from a meeting outside the Continental United Sates.
4. Travel time in conjunction with trips involving honoraria is outlined under the TRAVEL
INVOLVING HONORARIA section of this policy.
PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES
1. The Professional Travel or Administrative Travel Request Form should be submitted to the Department Chairman/Section Head as soon as possible and at least 30 days in advance.
a. Travel-Professional (TRPRO) requests require:
· Professional Travel Request Form (Attachment A) signed by the requesting physician and the Department Chairman/Section Head, and
· Supporting documentation of the activity, including the Letter of Invitation.
b. Travel-Administrative (TRADM) requests require:
· Administrative Travel Request Form (Attachment B) signed by the requesting physician, the Department Chairman/Section Head, and the appropriate Vice President or Regional Medical Director.
2. The Department Chairman/Section Head will forward the request to the Regional Medical Director’s Office. The Regional Medical Director’s Office must be notified 30 days in advance in order for travel to be considered. In those cases, the Regional Medical Director’s Office will help in any way possible to expedite the paperwork. Professional staff members are expected to adhere to the 30-day advance book out notice for all travel.
3. The Regional Medical Director’s Office will review the request for final approval.
4. As stated above, all Travel-Professional (TRPRO) travel sponsored by national organizations, boards, councils, pharmaceutical companies, or the medical industry requires supporting
documentation from the sponsoring organization, including the Letter of Invitation that addresses the
support given for travel expenses, if any, and specifically address whether or not an honorarium is involved. TRPRO will only be approved if this written documentation is provided. Requests for “time only” will be considered if the sponsoring organization pays expenses but not an honorarium. The Regional Medical Director’s Office must be notified before travel commences and/or arrangements are made. Travel taken without prior notification will be considered vacation or CME and will not be reimbursed as TRPRO.
FUNDING
1. Physicians may be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred for TRPRO and TRADM travel (beyond those funded by any sponsor by an honorarium or expense reimbursement) by submitting the Travel Expense Form (Attachment C) to the Regional Medical Director’s Office. Physicians are expected to be conservative in their spending, and expenses are reimbursed using the following guidelines: In situations where there is an honorarium, refer to “Travel Involving Honoraria” on page 6.
a. Tuition/Registration. Registration and tuition fees are reimbursable for TRPRO and TRADM paid for by Ochsner. A copy of the registration form along with proof of payment must be submitted and attached to Attachment C.
b. Ground Transportation. The cost of taxis to and from places of business, hotel, or airports in connection with business activities is reimbursable. There are times when it is clearly most cost effective to use a rental car (versus a taxi) depending on the destination and logistics of the trip. However, these circumstances are infrequent and use of a rental car must be requested in writing on Attachment A or Attachment B, whichever form is appropriate for the type of travel. In all cases, original receipts must be submitted for reimbursement and attached to Attachment C. If
the travel is to a close city and the physician’s personal auto is being used, the physician will be reimbursed at a rate of 37 cents per mile. Reimbursement for personal auto use cannot exceed
the equivalent of the lowest cost commercial round trip airfare to the destination from the point of origin.
c. Lodging. Physicians are reimbursed for the cost of single room accommodations typically occupied by business travelers. The minimum corporate or convention rate should be requested. Original hotel or motel receipts that detail the expenses charged to the room must be attached to Attachment C.
d. Meals. Professional staff are reimbursed for their personal meal expenses (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) incurred providing such expenses are appropriate and supported by an original receipt (or printed on the hotel statement). All meal costs should be reasonable (with a $50 limit on any one dinner and a maximum of $75 per day).
e. Miscellaneous. Professional staff will be reimbursed for reasonable internet expenses necessitated by travel. Entertainment expenses are not reimbursable, including paid in-room videos, green fees, plays, theme park admissions, gift shop, etc.
2. Professional staff must provide original receipts for expenditures (required for accounting purposes) in order to receive reimbursement to the extent funded for approved TRPRO and TRADM.
3. Travel arrangements (airfare) are to be booked by the professional staff using their personal credit card. Every effort should be made to purchase the most reasonably priced airline ticket. No first class tickets will be reimbursed.
4. Once Attachment C (Travel Expense Form) and appropriate documentation are received in the Regional Medical Director’s Office, the Regional Medical Director’s approval will be obtained and then the information will be forwarded to accounts payable for processing.
5. Funding in conjunction with trips involving honoraria is outlined in the next section of this policy.
TRAVEL INVOLVING HONORARIA AND EXTERNALLY FUNDED EXPENSES
1. Staff members must use vacation time for trips in which the sponsoring organization provides an
honorarium if the individual wishes to personally keep the honorarium. The honorarium can assist, if necessary, in covering travel expenses, meals and accommodations.
2. If the travel is approved as TRPRO and OCF pays all the expenses then 100% of the honorarium is turned over to the Clinic. There is no compensation plan credit with this option.
3. The Regional Medical Director may approve a request for TRPRO when the sponsoring organization or individual pays expenses. With this option, if there is an honorarium, 100% of the honorarium will be turned in to OCF and 80% will be distributed via the compensation plan the following compensation cycle.
A / B / CVacation Time is Used / TRPRO / TRPRO
OCF Does Not Cover Expenses / OCF Covers Expenses / OCF Does Not Cover Expenses
Keep Honorarium / Turn in 100% of Honorarium
No Compensation Plan Credit / Turn in 100% of Honorarium 80% of Honorarium will be Distributed via the Compensation Plan the Following Compensation Plan Cycle
GENERAL PROVISIONS
1. Department Chairmen and Section Heads will be accountable in their annual review for the judicious use of both travel time and funding by their professional staff members.
2. An appeals process is available for professional travel that has been denied. The appeal (in writing) should be sent to the Regional Medical Director who will consult with two members of the Medical Advisory Committee for reevaluation. The decision made after this appeal is final.
3. TRPRO does not fund staff travel expenses to supervise residents’ presentations.
4. Presentations on behalf of drug companies or equipment manufacturers or in conjunction with small specialty ski meetings, cruises or the like will be considered vacation time.
5. There will be no travel advances. However, reimbursement following receipt of necessary documentation by the Office of the Regional Medical Director and CME will occur within 30 days.
Effective Date:12/07/06
/ Prepared by:
MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION
/ Page:1 of 8
Attachment A
OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION
Professional Travel Request Form
Professional Travel (TRPRO) includes travel as defined by the Professional Travel Policy. Approval is granted based on the direct and indirect value to Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Approval must be obtained before travel commences and/or arrangements are made.
Requesting Professional: ______Provider Number: ______
Social Security Number: ______Department: ______
Name of Meeting/Conference: (Attach Copy of the Program)
______
Place (City & State): ______
Date(s) of Travel: Leave New Orleans: ______at ______(am/pm)
Return to New Orleans: ______at ______(am/pm)
Date(s) Presenting: ______Date(s) Attending: ______
Type of Activity: (Attach Program, Letter of Invitation, Etc.)
National Medical Society
___Poster / Abstract / Paper Presentation ___Board Member or Officer
___Board Examiner ___Major Committee Meeting
___Residency Director Meeting
___Visiting Professor
___Investigator Meeting
Funding Source: __ External (Organization: ______)
__ Request Funding from Ochsner Clinic Foundation
__ Research
__ Graduate Medical Education
__ Personal (No reimbursement from OCF)
Honorarium: _____ NO _____ YES ______Amount
NOTE: A copy of the letter of invitation, information about the paper, abstract or poster, and documentation specifically addressing whether or not an honorarium is involved must be attached to this request. Requests without this information will not be approved and will be returned for further information.
Approval Process (required prior to travel):
______
Requesting Professional Date Department Chairman/Section Head Date
______Approved (time only)
Regional Medical Director Date ____Approved with funding (see attached memo)
____Not Approved
cc: Department Director and Manager
Attachment B
OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION
Administrative Travel Request Form for Physicians
Administrative Travel (TRADM) includes travel as defined by the Professional Travel Policy. Approval must be obtained before travel commences and/or arrangements are made for TRADM time or possible funding to be allocated.
Requesting Professional: ______Provider Number: _____
Social Security Number: ______Department: ______
Name of Meeting/Conference: ______
Place (City & State): ______
Meeting starts on ______at ______(am/pm) and ends ______at ______(am/pm)
Date(s) of Travel: Leave New Orleans: ______at ______(am/pm)
Return to New Orleans: ______at ______(am/pm)
Reasons for Travel: ______
______
Is this budgeted or unbudgeted? ______
Funding Source: __ External (Organization: ______)
__ Request Funding from Ochsner Clinic Foundation
__ Research
Approval Process (required prior to travel):
______
Requesting Physician Date Department Chairman/Section Head Date
______Approved (time only)
Regional Medical Director Date __Approved w/funding (see attached memo)
__Not Approved
______
Vice President Date
cc: Department Director and Manager
OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATIONADMINISTRATIVE TRAVEL / PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL
REIMBURSEMENT FORMPhysician's Name:______
Address:______
Physician Number:______
Dept Name :______Dept #: ______
Trip/Meeting ______
Original paid receipts must accompany this form, and must be taped on an 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper. Provide complete
Details. Must be completed in ink.
EXPENSE REPORT
Day/Date / Sun. / Mon. / Tues. / Wed. / Thurs. / Fri. / Sat. / TOTAL
Expense Item / ____/____ / ____/____ / ____/____ / ____/____ / ____/____ / ____/____ / ____/____
Meals
Hotel
Telephone
Airfare
Ground Travel
Transportation*
Misc Tips
Registration Fee
Other (Describe)
Total Expense
*If you traveled by car, please indicate mileage traveled:
______miles @ 35 cents per mile / Less Personal Expenses Included
$______
Net Expense
Amount Due Physician
I certify that the above reflect my true expenses.
Physician Signature / Date / Medical Director / Date