Telehealth Compliance
Compliance with laws and regulations is paramount when running a business in any sector. This is particularly so in the telemedicine industry, given the complex, vast and ever-evolving nature of the medical compliance and regulatory landscape. As Head of Compliance, it is essential to navigate the often-challenging regulatory environment, whether at the state, federal, or international level, to mitigate any associated compliance risk.
A key component of streamlining compliance management is the implementation of a compliance certification management (CCM) system, a multi-stage process that facilitates the life cycle of certificates of compliance (CoCs) for any business. Through CCM, compliance governance is structured, automated, and integrated across different service providers with a digital record system, keeping pertinent documents organized, accessible and secure.
A CCM system is particularly pivotal in the telemedicine industry, given its expansive dependency on technological systems and devices to support providers and medical personnel in delivering medical services to patients. Technology must be compliant with industry standards and the regulatory certifications to demonstrate that they meet the appropriate requirements and standards. A CCM system can continuously monitor licenses, permits and certifications to track a telemedicine firm’s compliance status.
This multi-stage CCM system typically follows four distinct steps: the tracking of any regulatory change that needs implementation, self-assessment to determine non-compliance areas and implement corrective action, pre-audit preparation to ensure that all documents are appropriately stored and audit trails are done, and post-audit for the closure of any open findings. Through this streamlined process, any compliance risk can be effectively tracked, monitored and managed.
When setting up a CCM system, it is important to consider the size and scope of the organization to ensure that the framework meets the needs of the business. This typically includes establishing a shared understanding of CCM roles, responsibilities, processes and documentations. Documents such as company policies and procedures must be made available to allow personnel to carry out efficient regulatory compliance. Setting up regular meetings to review the compliance landscape and gauge the effectiveness of the CCM is also highly recommended.
Ultimately, a CCM system provides the security, credibility and trustworthiness essential for the telemedicine industry. For a Head of Compliance, the assurance of knowing that a CCM system is regularly implementing compliance risk management processes is invaluable, coupled with the safety of having all necessary regulatory documents securely stored and organized. With the CCM system in place, the telemedicine industry can further their role in revolutionizing how medical services are delivered to ensure patient safety and health care outcomes.
