Compliance Officers play a huge role in healthcare organizations when it comes to safety and risk, work culture, quality of care, and much more. The role of compliance officers has transitioned quite a bit over the years to achieve a level of authority and priority for healthcare organizations. CCOs play a vital part in the C-Suite and Executive team. Some would argue it took too long for this evolution to arrive, but no one would challenge the need for compliance in today’s complex healthcare environment. Regulators have focused on compliance since the beginning. The main purpose of the Office of Inspector General OIG HHS is to set standards and guidelines and enforce healthcare compliance.
This article, The Health Care Director’s Compliance Duties: A Continued Focus of Attention and Enforcement, from the OIG, provides guidance on the evolution of compliance in healthcare.
Ever since the advent of enterprise risk management and the tying together of risk, operations, and compliance, this integrated and proactive approach to compliance has spread and is now adopted as the norm. The OIG required a compliance plan to exist in acute care for decades. Section 6102 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) created a mandate that nursing facilities have effective compliance and ethics programs in operation by March 23, 2013.
Another section of the ACA, Section 6401, requires other providers to have these programs as a condition of participation in Medicare/Medicaid programs, but nursing facilities are the first provider group to be singled out. More importantly, the OIG has provided for a reduction in civil fines and monetary penalties based on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The Role of the Healthcare Compliance Officer
What is the role of a healthcare Compliance Officer? This can change drastically depending on the day. Many times, these individuals are putting out fires that might come up in the organization. Other times, compliance professionals spend their time training staff to ensure the proper procedures and behavior is carried out.
3 Ways a Healthcare Compliance Officer Makes Organizations Healthier
Compliance Officers can be tasked with developing and managing a safe and intuitive compliance hotline or means of communication for whistleblowers. They may also conduct effective internal investigations at times and partner with Human Resource leaders to provide more context.
While Compliance Officers play many roles and wear quite a few hats within their organizations, we’ve identified three important ways that Compliance Officers make organizations healthier. Take a look!
Observation and Effective Listening
A great Officer and his/her team will have eyes and ears open at all times and be on the lookout for areas to improve, policies to create, and know when an issue needs to be raised to management/board due to potential legal liability. This does not mean the role is to be a police officer focused on finding non-compliance. Instead, an effective healthcare Compliance Officer will look for areas to increase efficiency and reduce risk. Thus, a healthcare company that truly adopts enterprise risk management will include compliance at the table and embed it with operations.
Educators and Champions for Doing What is Right
An effective Compliance Officer will constantly review and revise programs to better educate everyone in the healthcare organization on current risk and compliance topics. The goal and challenge of creating a great culture of compliance is ensuring what you are communicating makes sense, applies to your staff, and is delivered in a way that they can easily respond or ask for clarification.
Model Behavior Within the Organization
A healthy organization starts at the top. If management and the board live and breathe by the core principles of compliance and its business values, then it will permeate throughout the entire organization. A great Compliance Officer will model such behavior in every communication, interaction, and/or activity.
Employees want to follow the lead and do what is right when it comes to delivering high-quality care and favorable outcomes in building healthy relationships. Be the change you want the organization to follow and remember that every move is being watched by your staff.
Compliance Officers are Essential for Successful Operations
Compliance officers have a critical seat at the table when it comes to strategic decisions made for the health of any organization. Reducing risk and creating a vibrant culture where everyone feels welcome, safe, valuable, and heard is essential for continued healthcare success. Don’t forget that many employees are looking for you to set the tone and practice what you preach each day.
