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Storm of Content

The Affordable Care Act. HIPAA. OSHA. If there is one thing hospitals aren’t short of these days, it’s new rules and regulations. And for every fresh law or regulation that gets passed, new or updated policies follow. Add in new technology adoption by the way of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) or mobile health and you’ve got a storm of seemingly countless—and constantly changing—policies and procedures that overworked employees must navigate daily.

The number, type, and complexity of the requirements to provide quality care in a safe yet cost-efficient manner can be overwhelming. The evolving provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the HIPAA Omnibus Rule, and other federal health care requirements impact every hospital department in some way. Add in applicable state laws and regulations, CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] Conditions of Participation, Joint Commission standards, and other accreditation requirements, along with a library full of compliance manuals and guidelines, and one can quickly see the need for a robust policy and procedure management.

Technology to the Rescue

How can health care organizations strike a balance to effectively educate employees in today’s changing climate? One solution is to lean on the appropriate technology. The best health care organizations will use both technology and education to manage their policies and procedures. It is imperative to stress the importance of policies and procedures. Many organizations still use pen and paper to manage this process. Long term, this is unsustainable. Companies need a technology solution to streamline this process.

Gone are the days when policies and procedures management are available in a three-ring binder and a wisely spent hour and your updated, a strategy that no longer meets the needs of today’s virtual and demanding environments. Organizations need to provide the means for employees to access policies and procedures when and where they need them. The rapid pace in which regulations change requires automated policy approval and dissemination as well as acknowledgment of employee access.

How can we help?

360factors, Inc. helps Oil and Gas companies improve business performance by reducing risk and ensuring compliance. Predict360, its flagship operational risk management software product, vertically integrates regulations and requirements, , risks and controls, audit management and inspections, and on-line training and qualifications, in a single cloud-based platform.

We also offers consulting services in the areas of air, water, and waste permitting and compliance, site investigation and remediation, environmental and dredge material sampling and evaluation, engineering and geology, expert testimony, health and safety, and operational risk management.  Its Managed Services incorporate outsourced risk and compliance services using Predict360.