Open Lines of Communication [Healthcare Compliance Tips]

Develop open lines of communication.

Open communication between staff, patients, and patients’ family is essential when building an effective compliance program.

Did you know communication failures account for 30% of the malpractice cases?  Per CRICO Strategies, this is equivalent to nearly 2,000 patient deaths that can be avoided if medical staff improved their communication.

As management, you can avoid this by enacting the sixth element of the 7 Elements of an Effective Compliance Program, which is developing open lines of communication.

This includes publicizing your “open door” policy through meetings, email, bulletin boards, brochures, etc.  Also, you must assign specialized staff to investigate reported issues, and to talk to your team, without retaliation.

Here is an example of various reporting mechanisms used in healthcare entities:

• 24/7 Hotline

• Dropboxes

• Private email

Remember, your staff and patients do not expect you to have all the answers, but they are looking for you to be present when issues arise.  If they can’t come to you, then they will find someone to talk to, such as government officials or an attorney.

You don’t want that.  Be sure to develop open lines of communication policies as soon as possible.

**The opinions and observations from the group/author are not a promise to exempt your practice from fines and penalties.  Research, modify, and tailor the advice to fit your specialty.