Corporate Compliance Promotes Integrity

Orange Regional Medical Center strives to promote a culture of integrity and ethical behavior in its business and operational practices. Our corporate compliance program helps us make sure our organization is in line with all laws and regulations that pertain to the health industry. By being an honest and responsible healthcare provider we can improve the quality and consistency of patient care.

Employees at Orange Regional have the professional responsibility to speak to their direct supervisor or call our corporate compliance director, Jim Cottos, at 342-7346 if they suspect any illegal, unethical or questionable activity. You should feel comfortable talking about compliance issues with them. Employees will not be subject to reprisal for reporting, in good faith, actions that they feel violate the law or established policies.

Examples of compliance issues include failure to comply with HIPPA guidelines or using another individual’s password to access confidential information. Our corporate compliance program is similar to a checks and balances system, making sure we document all services performed and maintain patient privacy.

Jim Cottos will be holding one-hour training sessions for all Orange Regional employees in the near future. I hope that these informative sessions will help you fully understand compliance issues, plus give you an open forum to ask questions and become more familiar with the subject.

We should take pride in our work and promote an honest and professional environment. Whether you are a clinician or in a support department, everyone is responsible for ensuring their own ethical, compliant behavior.

What does patient-centered care really mean?

Often times, in healthcare, the system is too organized around the needs of the institution, and we lose sight of what is important – providing competent, coordinated and compassionate care. For some, their visit to Orange Regional Medical Center may be the first time they’ve set foot in a hospital as a patient. While they are with us, we have the responsibility of “caring for patients as if they were family”. That’s what we mean by patient-centered care. If you are not certain what that phrase means, just ask yourself, “how would I want another healthcare provider to treat my grandmother, father, spouse or child?” The answer will often be the patient-centered thing to do.

Whether you work in a clinical area or a support department, you should always be thinking of what you can do today to make our patients’ visit the best it can be.
If you come in contact with several patients throughout the day, remember it’s probably their first contact with you or your area of responsibility. First impressions last a lifetime.

We want our patients to feel acknowledged, whether having an outpatient test or as an inpatient with a diagnosed illness. We should anticipate our patients’ needs or questions and show them compassion. Patients should always be informed about their care and when they can expect new information regarding their health.

We want our patients to return home safe and with their needs met during their most vulnerable time. It is our responsibility as healthcare professionals to provide the highest quality healthcare as we strive for excellence and redefine the region’s healthcare for generations to come. Let’s all work together to make this happen.