Q&A: How to remain compliant (Part II)

Q: What are some basic strategies I can use to encourage my staff to stay compliant at all times?

A: Successful organizations keep the momentum going by incorporating ongoing compliance readiness into their day-to-day operations. There are practical ways to accomplish this:

1. Keep leadership involved. This cannot be stressed enough. Leaders have their own perceptions of the process, and the degree of difficulty is often based on unofficial sources of information. You can’t change an attitude, but you can keep leadership informed of issues and progress toward resolution.
2. Use existing data channels to show your progress. Don’t create separate avenues for data collection.
3. Follow through on any issues. This includes seeking assistance from department leadership when you have reached an impasse or a team member is struggling.
4. Keep monitoring your progress through individual and system tracer activities, mock surveys, and risk assessments.
5. Be aware and accept that compliance issues never go away. Standards are added, EPs are changed, exceptions change, and FAQs are released to challenge you in remaining survey ready.

Editor’s Note: Do you have a question about clarifying RFIs, policy management, or survey-prep for our experts? E-mail your queries to Jaclyn Beck at jbeck@hcpro.com and receive one-on-one advice from our experienced advisory board. Submit a question and our credible sources will provide you with a timely answer.