Program Overview and Objectives

Objectives

The objectives of the Health Care Compliance Online program are to:

  • Provide an understanding of the laws that shape the health care industry in general, and compliance in particular;
  • Help students acquire a deeper understanding of the regulatory context of compliance;
  • Help students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to identify compliance issues, guide change, and navigate complexity while supporting an ethical culture;
  • Identify best practices in compliance management;
  • Enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills in a compliance context;
  • Help students acquire knowledge and skills to manage conflict;
  • Improve students’ communication and presentation skills; and
  • Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities.

Program Overview

Each course in Health Care Compliance Online awards three graduate-level credits and most are completed in eight weeks. The program starts in late January of each year. Each year’s cohort takes four core courses that provide a strong foundation and clear understanding of health care compliance issues. After completing the core courses, students customize their final capstone course. They select three of nine two-week seminars and also work closely with their professor to complete an individual project in their area of interest.

Core Courses:

Introduction to the Legal System for Health Care Compliance (3 credits)

  • Public goals and private incentives
  • Tort law and liability
  • Contract law and liability
  • Corporate law and creating new entities by agreement
  • Legislation and regulation - establishing public policy and creating private obligations
  • Administrative law – the role of agencies in shaping public policy and their use of enforcement tools

Legal Aspects of Health Care Compliance (3 credits)

  • Compliance program elements
  • Fraud and abuse laws
  • Stark law
  • HIPAA/HITECH privacy and security
  • EMTALA
  • Conditions of participation
  • Coding and billing, documentation, medical necessity
  • Internal investigations   

Professional Judgment and Ethics (3 credits)

  • Organizational ethics, mission and values
  • Professional judgment
  • Core values
  • Managing conflict
  • Health care ethics and business decisions

Effective Compliance Program Development and Skills (3 credits)

  •  Implementing and facilitating oversight
  • Risk assessments
  • Creating impactful policies and procedures
  • Training and education strategies
  • Opening and maintaining lines of communication
  • Audit and monitoring
  • Corrective action

Student-Structured Final Course:

Selected Applications in Compliance (3 credits)

  • Students select three seminars to customize their substantive focus, and complete an individual project with the Program Director.
  • Seminars offered:

Hospitals and providers

Privacy

Compliance for Insurers

Compliance in research

Health Care Quality

Risk Assessments