
OK, so you just go promoted to Compliance Officer or you just landed a new job as a Compliance Officer. Either way, you’re super excited. Can’t wait to tell your friends, family, coworkers. You’ve worked hard, put in your time, continued to develop your skills and knowledge over the years. You deserve this promotion!
And then it hits you. What are the expectations of this new role? When I was on the front lines caring for patients, I knew the expectations of my role, I knew the ins n’ outs of clinical procedures, I knew when and how to conduct rounds, administer medications, operate equipment, diagnose patients, follow hospital policies and procedures, I was an exceptional nurse and care giver.
Well, taking on the role of Compliance Officer doesn’t have to be scary. You have prepared for this role. You have shown responsibility for adhering to corporate policies and practices. You have upheld a high level of professionalism and standards. You have demonstrated strong communication and people skills. You may not have studied in a classroom, but you know the innerworkings of the hospital, you know why accreditation is important and know why it is important to adhere to healthcare policies and procedures. You not only know the acronyms – PHI, TJC, DNV, OIG, CMS, CAP, HFAP – but you know their importance. Patient safety and quality is important to you.
Creating or sustaining a culture of compliance will tap into your ability to be objective and diligent as you will be the one responsible for seeing issues through to resolution. A culture of compliance successfully embeds compliance into everyday workflows and establishes the foundation and expectations for individual behavior across the organization. Every individual within the hospital, or health system is responsible for adhering to the defined policies and procedures to ensure compliance. And it is your ethical responsibility to minimize the organization’s risk by ensuring that everyone takes the appropriate actions to be compliant.
Starting Out As a Compliance Officer Guide (1)Starting out as a Compliance Officer in healthcare doesn’t have to daunting. Here are five key steps to get started in your new role.
- Understand your mandate
- Set your five-year working plan
- Establish communication strategies
- Increase your visibility
- Identify a mentor
For detailed insights on each of these steps along with a list of tools every Compliance Officer should be using Starting Out As a Compliance Officer Guide (1)