Dissecting Compliance Elements in an Unconventional Way

Post By: Veronica Xu, Esq., CHC, CHPC, CCEP (veronica.xu@saberhealth.com) is the Chief Compliance Officer for Saber Healthcare Group headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio

Alan Miller, an inquisitive learner intrigued by the compliance profession, is a student in Cleveland, Ohio

What is compliance and what does it do? It seems to be a simple question, but not so easy to answer. Although there are numerous laws, regulations, rules and standards in almost every industry that affects our lives, not many people truly understand the role of compliance or its function. Moreover, to those who have heard about it, compliance is often perceived as boring, negative, intimidating, and punitive. But it does not have to be that way. To help people better understand compliance work and our profession, we have broken down the compliance elements and dissected them in an unconventional way to share with a broader audience in a hope to add some elements of humor and creativity to the serious work we do.

Introduction
What is compliance and what’s it even for?
Many people aren’t actually really sure.
Care quality, employee safety, data security, just to name a few,
Those are the things we want to ensure.

The functions of Compliance are not mysterious at all.
Regardless of the size of your organization – large or small,
Or industries across the board,
The compliance elements apply to them all.

Compliance contains seven basic elements:
First is written standards, procedures and policies,
Second is the compliance officer and compliance committee,
Next we have training, fourth hotline reporting, fifth monitoring and auditing,
Sixth is enforcement of laws and policies,
And last is prevention of violations and wrongdoing.

Written standards & policies

The first element is written standards and policies.
To ensure their applicability, relevancy, and consistency,
The content must be reviewed and assessed periodically.
Clear policies and standards help operations run effectively.

Compliance committee & compliance officer

The compliance officer leads the compliance team.
Together, the compliance committee should regularly meet.
To assess various risks and address corresponding needs.
The team approach will make measures effective indeed.

Training & education

Training and education is an element that everyone should follow.
There are sessions to conduct and records to hold.
Training courses don’t have to be boring, dry, and old.
It can take a variety of formats: in-person, e-learning, or hybrid of both.

Hotline & reporting

The next element is hotline and reporting.
Thoughts and fears, don’t you hide.
We’ll investigate issues and make them right.
Share with us all your complaints and concerns.
We will be sure to address them with all our efforts.

Hotline is not the only tool you can use.
There are other ways you can contact us too.
You can reach us by phone, mail and email.
So don’t be shy and talk to us at any time.

We are sorry if the word “compliance” gives you a fright,
But we promise Compliance does not bite.
In fact, compliance people are friendly and nice.
You are always welcome to stop by. Having you is such a delight.

Auditing & monitoring

Auditing and monitoring is essential to operations.
Because there are risks for us to address and errors to correct.
Fraud, waste and abuse are the things we strive to prevent and detect.
Our role is to serve, assist, assess and protect.

Integrity and accuracy are the core values we uphold and defend.
We continue to review, improve and reflect.
We know rules are to be followed, not to be bent.
Compliance’s work should never end.

Violations can put the company’s reputation on the line.
Please know that Compliance is a friend by your side.
We are here to lead, help, advise and guide,
Because Compliance is our name and we say it with pride.

Enforcement of laws and policies

Enforcement is the sixth element that we should keep in mind.
When the issues are identified, Compliance is here to fix it all right.
Compliance is a team on whom you can rely.
Because Compliance is our passion and our bottom line.

Fair and consistent practices are our approach and philosophy.
Not only will Compliance help companies avoid any penalty,
But also will ensure financial well-being and workplace safety.
Our standards are transparent for everyone to see.
It is important to build trust with your customers and employees.
By being compliant, people will have faith in your teams.

Response & prevention

The last element is about response and prevention.
From harassment, fraud to retaliation, we strive to reach total elimination.
No tricks or traps, no games to play,
We ensure things are done in the right way.

Standing for integrity, Compliance is not a scary word.
We are a protector of public interest and moral defender.
Ensuring compliance is our ultimate goal.
Our team is dedicated with all our energy and soul.

Conclusion

So, what does Compliance do?
We identify risks and address issues.
To enforce the laws and uphold our values,
That’s our mission – what we choose to do.
Protecting the public is a promise that we stick to.

Lawful practices and ethical standards are things we strive to maintain.
Compliance rules and safeguard measures are here to stay.
Whether it’s a fire to put out or an incident to investigate,
Compliance is here to help save the day.

Epilogue
Compliance is a noble profession, and our teams are dedicated and hard-working. Compliance work may sound vague, mysterious or dull to many, so we wanted to create something humorous yet informative to shine some light on this occupation and help educate the public on the important job we do. We believe we can make our compliance program more successful by raising people’s awareness and enhancing their understanding of compliance. By spreading the word of compliance and illustrating the essential elements, we hope to spark people’s interest, grow their passion for a career in compliance, and join the compliance alliance, because one day they will be our fellow compliance colleagues, partners, and allies.