For the full version of this article, please access it here: Long-term care requirements in COSMOS

The heart of any effective compliance program is the compliance committee. Compliance meetings can run the gamut from an occasion for donuts and coffee, to highly sophisticated analysis and discussions that would make the compliance gods smile. Whether you are just starting your journey in compliance or are a seasoned organization, here are some “lessons learned the hard way” to conduct successful compliance meetings.

  • Why? Compliance Committees aren’t a requirement, but they are definitely a best practice. The committee ensures review and action stay top of mind, and compliance is maintained.
  • Who? The OIG recommends a cross-functional group with enough seniority to have visibility and to take action. Led by the corporate compliance officer, the small (8-10 member) committee should know what is going on at all levels of the organization, and a clear grasp of their role and the goals of the committee. We recommend a “welcome packet”!
  • What? The mission of the committee is to advise the Compliance Officer. Creating a charter that gets the team on the same page is a best practice, along with a performance dashboard that is understood by all members. The evaluation and the decisions made on Compliance should always start with the data.
  • Where? Where should the focus of the committee lie? In each organization, the risk may be different for each area of practice. A best practice is to first measure your baseline and set goals and targets based on what you uncover.
  • When? Unless you are under a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA), the OIG doesn’t dictate meeting frequency. It’s best to choose a schedule that works best for the members and for the mission of the committee.
  • How? Running effective meetings may seem obvious, but it pays to evaluate your current process to see if there are opportunities to save time and energy without sacrificing quality. The full article in COSMOS outlines several best practices from other successful Compliance Committee meetings.

To access the full article with the complete list of best practices and takeaways, go to the COSMOS version and read it for free!

Copyright 2019 Compliance Today Magazine, a publication of the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA).