Integrity and Compliance Program
North Mississippi Health Services (NMHS) is committed to acting with integrity and making decisions based on the highest standards of ethical behavior, including complying with all applicable laws and regulations. Under the direction of the Board of Directors, NMHS established its compliance program in 1997. The NMHS Integrity and Compliance Program supports its Mission, Vision and Values.
Mission
To continuously improve the health of the people of our region.
Vision
The provider of the best patient centered care and health services in America.
C.A.R.E.S. Values
C-compassion
A-accountability
R-respect
E-excellence
S-smile
Organizational Culture
This Mission, Vision and Values are woven into the fabric of our organizational culture. The Mission, Vision, Values as well as the Integrity and Compliance Program are the evolutionary result of an organization created by compassionate people of vision in this community.
Why was Integrity added to the Compliance Plan? NMHS is not only concerned with compliance with laws and regulations, but also with behaviors and actions consistent with our Mission, Vision and Values. Compliance asks the question, “Can we do this within the law?” Integrity asks the ethical question, “Should we do this?”
The Integrity and Compliance Program provides our employees, medical staff, vendors and other business partners with resources to assist them in meeting applicable legal, ethical and professional responsibilities in NMHS. One key resource is NMHS’s Standards of Conduct, which describes expected behaviors and conduct of all who work at NMHS and provides appropriate responses to common issues often encountered in the workplace. Other key components include education and training, auditing and monitoring, and other mechanisms that allow employees, medical staff, vendors and other business partners to raise issues and concerns so they may be dealt with timely and appropriately.
Critical Success Factors
The principles found in our Critical Success Factors (CSF) help to create and maintain a culture that fosters integrity, ethical and legal behavior. The first line of defense to adhere to our compliance responsibilities includes adhering to our CSF of:
People
Maintain high quality work force
Service
Improve customer service
Quality
Improve prevention and health education services.
Improve health outcomes
Financial
Produce financial resources required to support mission and vision
Growth
Expand access to health services
Code of Conduct
To support the CSF, the Integrity and Compliance Program includes:
Setting standards of Integrity and Compliance conduct through a Code of Conduct
Creating awareness of these standards among everyone in the company through Integrity and compliance training and other ongoing communication efforts.
Providing a means to report problems (i.e., possible misconduct). We maintain a Compliance Line (1-888-246-2808) to receive reports from anyone who is aware of a violation of our Code of Conduct or Compliance Plan. This line is answered at all times. Jim Stanzell is the NMHS Chief Compliance Officer.
Monitoring and auditing performance in areas of compliance risk to ensure that established policies and procedures are being followed and are effective.
And undertaking other efforts, such as clinical ethics and pastoral care services.
