Compliance Officer Peer Network

OVERVIEW

Corporate compliance has become an increasingly important topic for Community Clinics and Health Centers in recent months. Increased federal funding for CCHCs, along with ARRA funding for various projects which carry their own voluminous implementation and reporting requirements, have lead the government to higher levels of surveillance of CCHC compliance.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

CPCA recommends that every clinic designate a compliance officer. This may be a full-time position in bigger CCHCs, or in most cases an additional responsibility for an appropriate person. The compliance officer will not necessarily know about every compliance issue, but will work with other staff to ensure that compliance guidelines are met.

The Office of the Inspector General, DHHS, 2000, identified 7 key elements of an effective compliance program:

Conducting internal monitoring and auditing
Implementing compliance and practice standards
Designating a Compliance Officer or contact
Conducting appropriate training and education
Responding appropriately to detected offenses and developing corrective action
Developing open lines of communication
Enforcing disciplinary standards through well?publicized guidelines

CPCA provides several services for our CCHCs to help them meet the compliance challenge. We provide numerous trainings on topics related to compliance, and on basic information about establishing a compliance program. To keep abreast of the trainings CPCA offers, be sure to check our webpage frequently. We also e-mail notice of relevant trainings to the Compliance Officer Peer Network.

COMPLIANCE OFFICER PEER NETWORK

CPCA also sponsors a Compliance Officer Peer Network. The purpose of the peer network is to provide a place where compliance officers can raise questions with their peers and share individual approaches to compliance issues and best practices. To become a member of the peer network, send an e-mail to Meaghan McCamman, Senior Program Coordinator. Include your name, title, clinic name, phone number and e-mail address.

CPCA also facilitates a Compliance Officer Peer Network Listserv, where compliance officers from around the state can email each other directly, as a group0, and share information, best practices, templates, and questions and answers. To join the listserv, which is separate from the Peer Network itself, please email Meaghan McCamman.

MEETINGS

CPCA sponsors monthly peer-to-peer informal conference calls to allow compliance officers to share issues, as questions, and discuss current events in compliance. In addition, the peer network meets quarterly via Webex for a formal learning webinar, which allows time for discussion as well as updates from experts on regulatory and compliance issues. Please contact Meaghan McCamman at mmccamman@cpca.org for the next conference call.

RESOURCES

Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA)

CPCA STAFF CONTACTS

For further questions about the peer network or CPCA services and trainings related to compliance, please contact Meaghan McCamman, Senior Program Coordinator at 916-440-8170.

Sponsorship

For information regarding sponsoring a Peer Network or any other sponsorship opportunities, please contact us via e-mail at sponsor@cpca.org.