Create columns for service purpose, assessment process, withdrawal response, individualized planning, licensing, current availability, cost and insurance details, family involvement, continuing-care planning, and unanswered questions. Do not convert the scorecard into a clinical decision tool. Its job is to show what you know, what conflicts, and what still requires professional review.
After each call, write down the date, the role of the person who answered, and exact wording for important claims. Avoid relying on “usually” when your question concerns the specific person and current date. If insurance matters, ask the facility and payer separately what must be verified. Participation, authorization, covered services, deductibles, and payment are not established by a general statement, and payment should never be promised.
- Can the program describe its purpose without blurring detox and longer-term care?
- Which answers are person-specific rather than generally applicable?
- What remains unresolved before you could make an informed decision?