Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Office Regulatory Compliance

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Policies

Compliance Hotline Fraud and Abuse Reporting

Nonretaliation and Nonretribution

 

POLICY: COMPLIANCE HOTLINE FRAUD AND ABUSE REPORTING

Policy:

The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SOM) wishes to conduct its affairs in full compliance with all laws and regulations of government agencies and all local policies and procedures. All members of the SOM community, including faculty, staff, students, residents, other learners and agents of the SOM must comply with these same requirements as well as support the SOM in its compliance efforts.

Every SOM member has a duty to report any known or suspected non-compliant behavior or violations with any regulatory mandates and/or local policies. The SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance, at the request of the member, will provide such anonymity as required by law to the member. Under certain circumstances, however, in the judgment of the SIU Legal Counsel and SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance it may be necessary for disclosure so as to be able to adequately investigate concerns or issues and take necessary corrective action.

No member of the SOM community shall retaliate against another SOM member that reports a suspected violation nor knowingly allow any such retaliation or harassment to occur. Refer to the SOM Non Retaliation and Non Retribution policy for more specific information regarding non retaliation, non retribution and/or harassment.

Procedures:

Members of the SOM community may file reports of potential violations in any of the ways listed below but may also submit reports via other standard means of communication.

  1. Call the Compliance Hotline number (217) 545-7479 which is available 24 hours per day/7 days per week. Only the SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance staff has access to this telephone line and only they will receive and/or return your call. Staff in the SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance will answer the phone or you will be connected to a secured and password protected voicemail system.
  2. You may submit your report in writing on a specifically developed form known as an Incident Report, located on the SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance’s web site.
  3. You may also contact any of the staff in the SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance, SIU HealthCare Administrative Office, or SOM Legal Counsel to file your report. The contact information for these offices and other SOM offices are provided on the SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance’s web site.
  4. You may also submit your report via the SIUMED e-mail system at the following address: Compliance_Hotline_Reporting@siumed.edu. Your e-mail will be received by the SOM Chief Compliance Officer under a password protected signin.
  5. Other reporting options include notifying your supervisor, department chair or unit administrator, or other offices or individuals you feel are appropriate or that you are comfortable with in reporting the matter. These individuals will then contact the SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance for appropriate follow up action.

POLICY: NONRETALIATION AND NONRETRIBUTION

Policy:

The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s (SOM) mission is to assist the citizens of central and southern Illinois in meeting their health care needs through education, research, patient care and service to the community. The SOM is committed to accomplishing this mission by upholding the highest standards of lawful and ethical behavior at all levels of the organization. To accomplish this objective, all members of the SOM community are encouraged and expected to communicate any known or suspected compliance activities or concerns to their supervisor and/or other appropriate SOM official for review. The term SOM community member refers individually and collectively to faculty, staff, students, residents, contractors, or agents and includes both paid employees and volunteers.

The SOM commits to its community members that they may make a disclosure or file a report of a potential compliance issue without fear of retaliation, retribution or harassment. No member of the SOM community is permitted to engage in retaliation, retribution or any form of harassment against another member for reporting compliance-related concerns. Any retribution, retaliation or harassment will be met with strict disciplinary action. No member of the SOM community will knowingly allow any retaliation, retribution or harassment to occur.

Faculty, administrators and managers at all levels of the organization must take positive measures to assure all SOM members that they and the SOM leadership genuinely encourage the reporting of issues as a service to the SOM, and that there will be no retaliation, retribution or harassment for filing reports.

Procedures:

  1. All SOM members are responsible for promptly reporting known or suspected violations of any law, regulation, policy or procedure.
  2. Members who file reports will not be subjected to retaliation, retribution or harassment.
  3. The SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance maintains an “open door policy” to allow individuals to report problems or concerns in person. In addition, members may also report their concerns to their supervisor, department or unit head, SIU HealthCare Administration Office, SOM Legal Counsel, or other appropriate persons or offices. The SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance will be made aware of reports filed for appropriate follow up and action.
  4. The SOM Office of Regulatory Compliance will act upon the concern promptly and in an appropriate manner.
  5. Information of how and where to file reports may be found under the SOM Office of Compliance’s web site.
  6. All employees of the SOM will be provided a copy of this policy in new employee orientation and thereafter periodically reminded of the policy and their obligations under this policy.
  7. A copy of the policy must be posted in every department/unit of the SOM.

The SIU Compliance Line is a toll-free, 24-hour, 7 day-a-week, telephone resource that allows you to report workplace concerns, including suspected illegal or unethical behavior; non-compliance with laws regulations and policies; patient privacy issues; patient safety concerns; criminal offenses; or other concerns. Callers may remain anonymous if they so choose.

"The mission of the SIU School of Medicine is to assist the people of central and southern Illinois in meeting their health care needs through education, patient care, research, and service to the community."