Best Practice Criteria

As discussed in previous sections, specific best compliance practices criteria have been developed for some areas of health care compliance programs. These criteria were developed by a voluntary task force of dedicated, experienced compliance professionals, from both inside and outside of the health care industry. This process is overseen by the Health Ethics Trust.

The task force in conjunction with the Health Ethics Trust works to continually improve the best compliance practices criteria. This is achieved by seeking external feedback on the practicality and appropriateness of the criteria from compliance professionals, relevant government agencies, content experts, industry associations, accreditation bodies, and other stakeholders. This process is ongoing and the Trust welcomes any comments you may have which will continue to enhance the existing criteria.

The Health Ethics Trust also works with other agencies and groups to ensure that the best practice criteria are not developed in isolation of other work being undertaken in health care compliance and organizational/business ethics more generally.

The criteria for the 2008 Best Compliance Practices Forum include:

• Integrating Audit and Internal Controls with Ethics and Compliance;
• Response to Internal Investigations of Improper Conduct and Corrective Action Procedures;
• Compliance Program Assessment;
• Vendor Relationships; and,
• Compliance Involvement in Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction.

Draft areas for nomination in 2008:

• Medicare Part D Compliance (draft);
• HIPAA Implementation (draft).

Descriptions of the best compliance practice criteria for each of these areas can be found by following the appropriate links above. Please note that in cases where an organization wants to nominate for a best practice award in one of these areas – it is advisable to address the written application to the specific criteria detailed for that area. It is not necessary to meet all criteria in an area as part of a nomination. Nominations are accepted for aspects of a criteria area.

The complete criteria for Best Practices is available on Adobe Acrobat. Download here.