On March 5, 2005, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) posted its Compliance 101 web page, with links to a wealth of easily accessible educational materials and guidance for the health care industry.

General Compliance Materials by Industry.  Industry-specific guidance has been compiled on a linked page, providing access to a series of OIG voluntary compliance programs for health care industry members, including hospitals, physician practices, nursing homes, third-party billers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, HHS and PHS research grant recipients, and durable medical equipment suppliers.  The industry guidance, issued over the last several years, identifies high-risk areas for each industry segment, so that compliance efforts can be focused.

Provider Compliance Training.  The Compliance 101 page has a link to a page collecting provider compliance education materials, including recently developed video and audio podcasts, webcasts,  and written presentation materials on such topics as the federal fraud and abuse laws, the Anti-kickback law, the Physician Self-Referral law (Stark), operating an effective compliance program, tips for the OIG Self-Disclosure protocol, enforcement, and health reform information.  These materials are in many ways a ready-made, easy to use, training program on general compliance. 

Compliance Education for Health Care Boards.  Video and presentation materials, and a toolkit for health care leaders, geared to helping directors create a corporate culture of high-quality care and compliance, are available through a link from the Compliance 101 web page.

Compliance Education Materials for Physicians.  The OIG web page also provides a link to its recently issued pamphlet entitled "A Road Map for New Physicians," which should be used by every hospital and physician practice to educate physicians in complying with the five most important fraud and abuse laws which govern relationships with payers, vendors, fellow physicians and other providers.

The Compliance 101 page is a helpful compilation of OIG resources and compliance guidance, but remember, compliance is the responsibility of the individual members of the  health care industry, who are also responsible for staying current with regulatory changes and developments.