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View All ProductsFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
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View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
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View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream leverages medical professional development in healthcare by providing staff training programs
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View All ProductsNCQA-certified CVO verification services for initial and re-credentialing files in an overflow or full-service capacity for healthcare organizations.
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View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
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Learn MoreThe website Investopedia shares that “A few years ago, The Wall Street Journal labeled compliance officer the hottest job in America” (Investopedia, 2018). It goes on to offer that “In terms of importance and financial impact, chief compliance officers rank among chief financial officers (CFOs) and chief executive officers (CEOs) on some executive staffs, since a proper compliance environment keeps Uncle Sam at bay and represents a noticeable advantage over less-prepared competitors” (Investopedia, 2018).
Compliance positions are available across many industries, but job duties and responsibilities for compliance officer positions are similar, regardless of where you work. Primarily, a compliance officer must ensure an organization is being run legally and ethically, and complying with all applicable industry regulations. This job duty begins with an in-depth understanding and analysis of current regulations for the industry in question. Compliance officers must be able to interpret regulations and their fit into organizational operations.
What is Healthcare Compliance?
According to Michigan State University (MSU), “Healthcare compliance is about a healthcare facility or organization maintaining compliance with a number of government agencies, acts, guidelines, and laws. But the role of compliance goes beyond knowing these laws and regulations to the letter and ensuring a healthcare organization complies with them. A major responsibility of healthcare compliance is to conduct investigations and audits to identify areas of risk, draft a plan for improving compliance practices to address those risks, and monitor to ensure the program is following best practices and standards” (MSU, 2018). Typically a healthcare compliance officer must also set up a training program to ensure all employees understand how to meet their compliance obligations.
Education and Training
The compliance officer position is not typically deemed as entry-level. A Bachelor degree is typically a minimum requirement, and some positions may require an advanced degrees, like a law degree or an MBA. Healthcare compliance officers may be required to hold certifications, such as Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC), Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC), Certified in Healthcare Research Compliance (CHRC), and Certified in Healthcare Compliance - Fellowship (CHC-F). According to the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA), “The rigorous standards and professional conduct required for certification demonstrate a diligent effort on the part of the compliance practitioner, and verifies broad-based knowledge in the discipline being tested” (HCCA, n.d.). These exam-based, two-year certifications require regular renewal thereafter via continuing education.
Skills and Qualifications
It is recommended that all compliance workers have analytical, investigative, and decision-making skills. Other desirable professional orientations include detail orientation and a bent towards strategic planning. According to Investopedia, “No two compliance officers face the exact same challenges, and the nature of the job is such that every officer becomes a perpetual student: Regulatory changes take place on a consistent basis” (Investopedia, 2018)
Unique Demands of Healthcare Compliance
MSU advises that patient protection is just as important as patient care, with that responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the healthcare compliance function—from protecting patients’ personal information and maintaining proper billing practices to ensuring that provider operations meet all legal requirements. The MSU article quotes Dr. Michael Rip, Program Director of the Master of Science program in Healthcare Management at Michigan State University, who adds, “Lack of oversight and a failure in compliance can cost an organization millions,” says “There’s a huge need in hospital compliance, and good, agile leadership is critical” (MSU, 2018).
Careers in Healthcare Compliance
The outlook for healthcare compliance careers is very promising. MSU shares that “Due to the many government agencies, acts, and regulations healthcare organizations need to adhere to, healthcare compliance is an area of critical demand with a need for knowledgeable subject matter experts” (MSU, 2018). The range of healthcare ranges across the continuum, and from public to private and non-profit organizations. Likewise, the size of a healthcare compliance function at an organization can vary widely—from a single person or small team to an entire division headed by a healthcare compliance officer.
Learn more about HCCS Solutions for healthcare compliance training.
References
Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA). (n.d.).Become Certified. Retrieved at https://www.hcca-info.org/certification/become-certified
Investopedia. (2018). How to Get a Job in Compliance. October 7, 2018. Retrieved at https://www.investopedia.com/personal-finance/how-to-get-a-job-compliance/
Michigan State University. (2018). Career Opportunities in Healthcare Compliance. July 5, 2018, Retrieved at https://www.michiganstateuniversityonline.com/resources/healthcare-management/career-opportunities-in-healthcare-compliance/
HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
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 ProductsThe leadership development program from HealthStream helps mold your high-potential healthcare employees into proven leaders.
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 & ComplianceFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
View All ProductsBy increasing your healthcare staff's focus on quality and safety with HealthStream, they can help to reduce medical errors and readmission rates.
View All ProductsLearn about what HealthStream's healthcare policy management software and how it can help aid your organization efforts.
View All ProductsHealthStream's education helps address diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, as well as promoting health equity in the communities you serve.
View All ProductsHealthStream offers professional training and education on how to best optimize your reimbursement process within your healthcare organization.
View All ReimbursementTeach your healthcare staff about the revenue cycle and claim management through targeted training and video tools from HealthStream.
View All ProductsLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ResuscitationIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsHealthStream's EMS Program offers a comprehensive, CAPCE accredited EMS course library that meets National Registry annual recertification.
View All ProductsNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream leverages medical professional development in healthcare by providing staff training programs
View All ProductsLearn more about HealthStream's Provider Credentialing, privileging, & enrollment solutions.
View All CredentialingExperience standardized and centralized healthcare credentialing, privileging, and enrollment that is smarter and faster than ever before.
View All ProductsAutomated, web-based provider credentialing and enrollment software for growing medical groups.
View All ProductsNCQA-certified CVO verification services for initial and re-credentialing files in an overflow or full-service capacity for healthcare organizations.
View All ProductsSearch, review, and add providers into the Epic provider master file with our Epic app integration, Provider Validate.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare scheduling software designed to optimize staffing requirements & elevate patient care
View All ProductsPrecisely align staffing and needed resources to enable efficient patient flow and high-quality, cost-effective patient care.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
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