According to Ms. Paridy, the responsibilities of a hospital or health system chief compliance officer extend far beyond the position’s traditional definition. Compliance leaders have to initiate and maintain a cultural transformation, a not-so-simple undertaking.
“The traditional definition of a compliance officer is someone who ensures the organization keeps in compliance with all of the rules and regulations,” she explained. “What we do is so much broader than that. We have to make sure we have a culture of transparency and make sure people feel comfortable asking the tough questions.”
In addition to the cultural aspect of compliance, Mr. Mettin explained that chief compliance officers must also always stay informed and be a leader for educating the organization’s employees on new policies and regulations.
“There are more and more federal and state entities getting involved in setting regulations, and one may be pushing up against another,” Mr. Mettin explained.
To combat the ever-changing and often conflicting regulations affecting healthcare workers, compliance officers need to be proactive, Mr. Mettin said. Instead of sitting behind a closed door in an office, a compliance leader can be much more effective by implementing education programs and establishing themselves as a resource that people with questions can go to.
When people think compliance, HIPAA often comes to mind. According to Mr. Flynn, it is important for compliance officers to make HIPAA a top priority. “I have a full-time staff member to deal with HIPAA compliance,” he said. With the requirements for meaningful use and the increased use of communication technology, HIPAA compliance takes up a fair amount of time, Mr. Flynn explained.
While all of the panelists agreed that compliance breaches should be dealt with systematically, at a certain point, assessing breaches may become subjective.
“What works for one organization may not work for another,” Ms. Paridy said.
