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Learn MoreThis post excerpts our article, “Building an Indestructible Healthcare Compliance Training Program,” based on a webinar led by experts from HCCS, A HealthStream Company.
Many healthcare organizations consider compliance to be a major headache and ask themselves why they spend so much time and energy on this function. That’s the reason it is important to remember that compliance programs are mandatory; Section 6401 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) states that every “provider of medical or other items or services… shall establish a compliance program as a condition for enrollment in Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program” (CHIP). Training and education makes up one of the seven essential elements of an effective program, as stated in the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, with additional guidance available from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Also, training is typically a key requirement in an integrity agreement (IA) or corporate integrity agreement (CIA) that results from the government settlement of an organizational healthcare compliance violation.
Effective compliance training that incorporates the four key principles below can help employees understand their obligations and make every staff member an extension of the compliance team.
Principle 1: Create a Culture of Compliance
Christine Thomas, Manager of Content Development at HCCS, shared that compliance training “helps to communicate the tone from the top, especially the commitment to compliance, which influences the overall culture of your organization.” Compliance training can foster better communication between staff and your compliance office, particularly if training occurs face-to-face. Even in online training, learners can get a sense of who your organization is and that you welcome their input. In this way training helps staff to become your eyes and ears—you train staff to detect suspicious behaviors or activity and to know what to do when that occurs.
Principle 2: Understand the Power of Proof
Thomas mentioned earlier that many healthcare organizations make the completion of annual compliance training and review of the code of conduct a requirement for pay increases and sometimes for continued employment. A system that tracks completion of required training plays a strong role in effective compliance programs. Thomas offered that anyone who has had to work under an Integrity Agreement or Corporate Integrity Agreement can attest to the power of proof of training, especially if the OIG wants verification of training completions. She suggested, “Maybe you're getting audited or suddenly receiving subpoenas from the government and suspect there may be a whistleblower case—that is where all your hard work with training is going to pay off.” Robust training as part of a proactive compliance program can help to lessen the damage in the event that there's an enforcement action. This effort is made easier when using healthcare compliance software to keep track of compliance status and analytics
Principle 3: Incorporate Adult Learning Principles
Debbie Newsholme, Senior Director of Content Development at HCCS, reminded us that “the first element of any kind of adult education or training is to ‘Know Thy Audience.’” That means we must take into account the huge variety of individuals working together in any kind of healthcare setting. Newsholme suggested that we “think about the literacy level of your learners and that the average reading and literacy level is about the seventh or eighth grade. “ Other audience attributes that merit attention are the five generations currently working in healthcare and their different learning styles, as well as different cultures and ethnicities that bring different sensitivities to the workplace.
Principle 4: Make Compliance Training Engaging
HCCS Compliance Courseware Developers Debi Hinson and Kathleen Greene-Batt had plenty of advice for making compliance training more engaging, and emphasized new ways to think about the training experience. They suggested using the following key elements:
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View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
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View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsOur competency development solutions personalize learning for clinicians to bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing orientation challenges to easily achieve and maintain certification with our emergency and acute care training solutions.
View All ProductsAs a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to promoting safer, more successful surgical and sedation outcomes for each and every patient.
View All ProductsOur solutions are designed to cater to the needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsOnline clinical placement software allows schools, healthcare organizations, and students to seamlessly manage clinical and nursing rotations.
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