A Message From Our Chief Compliance Officer

Published October 18, 2016

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics is making great strides in improving its compliance culture, and you may wonder "what has been done?” Well, I am glad you asked.

Compliance is a continuous process, especially in today’s complex and challenging world. This is why CAO adheres to The Office of Inspector General’s guidelines of an effective compliance program. 

These guidelines are intended to serve as a blueprint for any compliance program. For this reason and others, we take them very seriously at The Centers. In fact, CAO has addressed every element required for an effective compliance program using these guidelines over the last year. In a commitment to maintain and strengthen its compliance culture, The Centers will continue to assess and reassess these elements as we move forward as powerful, united group.

Seven Elements of an Effective Compliance Program

We didn’t stop there. In addition to the completing the seven elements of an effective compliance program, The Centers overcame a number of other compliance challenges. I’d like to share these accomplishments and thank you all for your contributions and assistance. Our compliance program would not be successful without you!

2016 Compliance Challenges & Accomplishments

Social Media Compliance Risk

  • HIPAA Assessments performed at each Care Center
  • Some Care Centers have implemented encryption services due to the assessment
  • Staff educated on the risk of using unencrypted thumb drives and laptops during site visits and via HIPAA training provided through HIPAA Secure Now and Compliance Manager

Cybersecurity and Cybercrime

  • New Information Security Workgroup being formed
  • Security Risk Assessment

Business Associates

  • Service provider spreadsheet developed to help Administrators track their business associates and BAA’s
  • New CAO BAA implemented

HIPAA Security and Privacy

  • HIPAA Assessment
  • Security Risk Analysis (SRA), each Care Center to complete
  • Corporate email  platform reviews

Clinical Documentation

  • Certified Professional Coder (CPC) training provided to 14 billing staff, goal to have assist with billing and coding internal audits starting in 2017
  • Outside auditor being budgeted for 2017 for billing and coding baseline audit and clinical documentation training
  • AAPC Coder is being implemented at some Care Centers to help scrub claims for errors prior to submission

Breach Notification

  • Breach policies developed in HIPAA Privacy and Security Manual 

OSHA

  • Safety Data Sheet Management company approved and in use
  • Selected Care Centers are sending in their Safety Data Sheets
  • Slips, Trips and Falls training
  • GHS training

Renita Bean, Chief Compliance Officer

(844) 620-0009 (English)

(800) 216-1288 (Spanish)

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