Making your club a place for kids has many benefits. It can make the lives of parents easier since they don’t have to arrange for a sitter, it turns a visit to the club into a family experience, and it brings in extra revenue for your business. However, while there are benefits, there can be risks as well. Allowing kids at your club means you must take extra precautions to ensure that they are kept safe from harm when on your property. We’ve compiled a list of potential risks to having...

For the third time in five years, VGM Group has been selected as Iowa’s Top Workplace among large employers. The company has taken the top spot in each of the three years it has participated: 2015, 2017, and 2019. Rankings for the award are based entirely on employees’ opinions from an anonymous survey performed by Energage, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. The survey asks employees to assess metrics such as engagement,...

Facing an unexpected disaster, whether it be a hurricane, fire, earthquake or even terrorist activity is daunting for any business. And those in the healthcare industry have even more to worry about than their facilities and equipment. Nursing homes, hospices and other patient care facilities have the responsibility of looking after the most vulnerable among us. These populations rely on their caregivers for more than their daily needs. In the event of a disaster, they’ll be looking to you...

Given the hustle and bustle of today’s culture, many of us may find it difficult to keep up with all of the communications we receive, including those that are addressed through the mail. In certain instances, however, missing a piece of mail could be extremely costly to your business. In the scenario below – based on a true story – you’ll walk in the shoes of an owner of a Home Medical Equipment company who sees what can happen if you’re not keeping a close eye on...

Making a Difference for Man's Best Friend When the VGM Insurance Services team chose the Cedar Bend Humane Society (CBHS) as their charity to support in 2019, little did they know the difference they would be making. The team-building experiences for themselves would be secondary to the positive effect they would have on the 30+ dogs at the facility, and the CBHS organization as a whole. Of the many projects and needs on CBHS’ wish list, the group decided to tackle a large one:...

How to Create a Hurricane Preparedness Plan for Your Golf Course or Country Club With hurricane season in full swing, you’ll find numerous articles and blog posts with tips on how businesses can prepare for Mother Nature’s wrath. However, golf courses and country clubs have a unique set of risks, since many operations include hospitality and retail elements. In addition to protecting your main asset – your course – emergency planning and insurance coverage become complex...

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), homecare workers have a greater risk of injury while on the job than other health care and human services employees. For example, the injury rate in home care settings, cites the BLS, is about 50% higher than in hospitals. Based on the multiple exposures homecare workers face, it’s not surprising that Workers’ Compensation insurance represents one of the most significant expenses for homecare providers. For every Worker’s Compensation...

The demand for reliable, accessible, and affordable health care services has never been greater, and the challenge of meeting it has forced the entire health care industry to reconsider its service model in recent years. Telemedicine, defined as the remote delivery of health care services over the Internet or other telecommunications infrastructure, has opened the door for providers to supply their patients with better, cheaper, and more personalized care no matter where they reside. As the need...

Due to new research and the rapidly growing number of personal testimonials surrounding the medical benefits of CBD use, the market for CBD oil has expanded significantly. According to The Hemp Business Journal, the CBD market is estimated to grow to $2.5 billion in consumer sales by 2022. And, while CBD products are becoming a natural addition to the product mix of many home medical equipment, homecare and health and wellness businesses, those supplying CBD should be aware of the potential...

America’s population is aging, creating a greater demand for health care services than ever before. Unfortunately, the same vulnerabilities that cause dependent adults to seek care also make them potential targets for abuse by their caregivers. With claims of dependent adult abuse on the rise across the country, it’s important for your organization to understand the serious liability risks that these claims can represent so that you can take appropriate steps to prevent them. Even a false...