Don't volunteer for trouble

Volunteers have always played an important role in the continuum of care a hospital provides to its patients and the community, and the reliance on hospital volunteers appears to be on the rise. This may be one of many responses to widespread cost containment efforts due primarily to an increase in reimbursement pressures. The use of volunteers raises unique liability issues, which warrant periodic review within the overall risk management plan of a hospital. A recent Michigan case has brought renewed attention to the use of volunteers.