Most often, news of a Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) feels like a dark cloud descending over the near-term future. Especially for those who are responsible for fulfilling the obligations.
But in truth, a CIA is a new beginning.
If you’re like most companies, your existing technology infrastructure is nowhere near ready to handle the increase in documentation, report generation or new communication expectations. You will need to automate as much as possible.
CIA implementation is the perfect moment to build up your internal compliance processes. Successful completion of a CIA’s requirements demonstrates to the world that you have the government’s seal of approval on how you manage healthcare regulatory activity.
Bottom line? Creating and embedding the structure and process required for a CIA sets your organization for long-term success.
And the best way to build that structure is with the smarter technology of Cloud Concinnity®.
Here’s why.
Data Cannot Hide
Implementing a CIA means your organization will need to create and maintain documentation of the seven elements that contribute to the effectiveness of a Corporate Compliance Program. And you’ll need to create and document specific CIA requirements related to those elements, conduct additional processes that require coordination and consistency, and submit certifications of compliance from one or more leadership teams, including a board level compliance committee, not to mention implementation and annual reports to OIG.
Existing technology solutions are simply not configured to handle the complex web of high level conversations that will need to happen. Suddenly everyone will need to exchange and share sensitive information at a pace and volume never before seen. Whatever tools led up to the CIA, it’s time to put them out to pasture. Smarter technology is truly the only way to provide granular control over document sharing and oversight reporting with bullet-proof security protocols that function seamlessly for 24/7, on-the-go executives and compliance professionals who are working at all hours around the world.
Process Should Empower
You’re about to need more overlapping processes than you ever thought possible. There is simply too much work to handle with paper and pen and the occasional spreadsheet. Too many organizations try to lean on the existing compliance program or other departmental processes. What got you here won’t get you much farther.
Process must empower, not hinder.
Smart, agile technology is the only way to simplify, centralize and automate the range of complex execution and oversight steps involved in your more robust compliance program. For example, activity triggers for standard, continuing compliance program tasks and for the new crop of sequential CIA tasks and deadlines will keep everyone aligned, coordinated and engaged in a way that paper and pen never could. Automated precision workflows and tasks supported by industry-leading communication security and document storage mean a team can keep pace with the rapid increase in monitoring and reporting demands.
Compliance Must be Creative with Challenge
While compliance has a reputation for being a bureaucratic burden, it is also a catalyst for creative growth and a chance to proactively organize up. The fact that every step of your CIA and compliance journey will need to be verified, documented, and archived means that people, processes and systems will need to get more robust and more efficient at the same time. The kind of communication and out of the box thinking that makes a compliance program work will challenge your compliance team to learn, grow and get creative.
It’s overwhelming. Unless your team gets creative.
Finding smart software that can handle the digital logistics means that the people on your team have room to discover a new way of doing compliant business. After implementing your CIA and at the same time adding new people, processes and technologies, you’ll have already upgraded your team and resources, proving that your compliance program is first class and ready to handle any new business initiatives or growth.
In Conclusion
And that’s what we’ve built.
A well-oiled, SOC2 certified platform custom-built for the emerging needs of top of house leaders in a regulated business world.
If you’re ready to see how smarter software can implement your Corporate Integrity Agreement and also transform your corporate compliance program, reach out to our team and explore your options. We love this stuff!