Not Your Same Old Compliance Training

Compliance built on borrowed PowerPoints and outdated CDs provides pretty flimsy protection for your practice. If the information on which you and your team members base your Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance isn’t the most current—and isn’t delivered by a knowledgeable source—how can you possibly provide patients and staff with a safe and secure experience? And how can you protect your practice from the fines that will accrue if you’re found to be out of compliance? The only way to gain the knowledge that will keep your practice secure is to turn to an expert.

“When we think about how training has changed, it’s more important than ever to avoid the same old simple training that you’ve relied on in the past,” said Linda Harvey, RDH, MS, LHRM, DFASHRM. “You want to receive training provided by experts.”

Compliance Expertise

Rid yourself of the idea that compliance and a company training is simply an exercise in checking boxes. Lack of compliance has real-world consequences that can result in fines and reputational damage to your practice. Regulations change all the time, and while most practices do their best to keep up with the changes, it can be a challenge. You can’t be expected to know what you don’t know, but that lack of knowledge won’t protect you at an audit that finds your practice out of compliance.

Just as you’re the expert in patient care because you have the training and background required to diagnose and treat, your partner in compliance training should have the in-depth knowledge to ensure that you and your team take the necessary steps required by OSHA and HIPAA to protect patient and practice safety.

Harvey, a nationally recognized healthcare risk management and compliance expert, emphasized the complexity of compliance. “The dentist’s treatment recommendations are built on a foundation of skills and knowledge,” explained Harvey. “In the same way, practice compliance is built on a foundation of knowledge about the rules and regulations that ultimately support compliance and safety. You can’t teach yourself.”

You want to turn to a partner whose primary focus is on learning the intricacies of compliance. They know and understand the rules, regulations, and laws, and they’re fully prepared to provide training that fulfills OSHA and HIPAA requirements. Before you engage a company or individual to provide training, Harvey recommends asking a few questions:

• How long have you been providing training?

• Do you attend ongoing programs to keep your skills and knowledge current?

• Have you read the laws?

“You want to be sure you’re working with someone who really knows what they’re talking about as opposed to someone who thinks they know,” explained Harvey. “If a trainer says, ‘I’ve always heard that the OSHA rule is…,’ beware. Training content should always be supported by citations from the law.”

In addition, your compliance trainer should know the difference between the various organizations, regulatory agencies, and advisory bodies. For example, the American Dental Association is an advisory body that provides recommendations for dental professionals. OSHA, on the other hand, presents guidelines that help you follow the law. In addition, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for dentistry are written into the dental practice acts of many states. In other words, your trainer should know the law in your state so that you can follow it. 

“You want to be sure you’re working with someone who really knows what they’re talking about as opposed to someone who thinks they know,” explained Harvey. “If a trainer says, ‘I’ve always heard that the OSHA rule is…,’ beware. Training content should always be supported by citations from the law.”

In addition, your compliance trainer should know the difference between the various organizations, regulatory agencies, and advisory bodies. For example, the American Dental Association is an advisory body that provides recommendations for dental professionals. OSHA, on the other hand, presents guidelines that help you follow the law. In addition, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for dentistry are written into the dental practice acts of many states. In other words, your trainer should know the law in your state so that you can follow it. 

“This isn’t nice-to-know information,” said Harvey. “It’s the standard of care in your state, and the trainer should be able to explain that in detail. Understanding the why can help doctors and their teams fully embrace the recommendations.”

Harvey also pointed to HIPAA training, which she described as even more complex because of the security requirements and the explosion of ransomware. “It’s only going to get worse,” she said. Trainers with true expertise in this area can provide detailed education to help secure patient data.

HealthFirst: Your Compliance Partner

HealthFirst Compliance Solutions and its team of experts come fully equipped with all of the requirements Harvey recommends—years of experience, up-to-date skills and knowledge, and an in-depth understanding of the actual laws.

Harvey pointed to HealthFirst’s “Are You Compliant” quiz as a good starting place. “HealthFirst has a good self-assessment on their website that serves as a checkpoint for understanding where your practice is now with regard to compliance and knowledge,” said Harvey. However, she emphasized that dental professionals shouldn’t confuse this with a security risk analysis, which is required under the Security Rule.

HealthFirst offers a range of training options—guided and self-paced—to make it as convenient as possible for practices to learn about the federal and state laws and stay compliant. For example, the All-in-One OSHA & HIPAA Premium Package covers federal and state regulations as well as the most recent CDC guidelines, all customized by a Compliance Coach to meet the needs of the individual practice. The self-guided OSHA and HIPAA Checklist Select package provides practices with access to the HealthFirst portal where they can find customized checklists and track the status of their requirements.

Powered by OnTraq smart automation, HealthFirst’s digital solution proactively manages compliance risks by keeping your practice current with federal and state guidelines. Whether you have a single office or multilocation practice, OnTraq’s personalized compliance dashboard helps you easily onboard new employees and manage office training and documentation. Their biological testing service provides several benefits including automated weekly spore testing, which helps practices meet infection control compliance requirements and assess autoclave performance. In addition, HealthFirst offers expert-guided facility assessments and ongoing support.

Be Prepared

Ultimately, compliance training helps you keep your patients and your team members safe and protects personal patient data from falling into the wrong hands. However, this training also ensures that your practice is prepared when an inspection occurs. You don’t want to be caught out of compliance and risk fines and reputational damage.

Preparation requires training, knowledge, and follow-through. Harvey recommends that all practices establish and maintain a training schedule and designate compliance coordinators. In the end, the investment of time and money will pay dividends in staff competence while boosting patients’ confidence that your practice prioritizes their safety and security.