First Choice Community Healthcare, Inc. (“First Choice”) strives to ensure we demonstrate to patients, staff, and the public that we are an honest, ethical, and reputable health care organization. Our Compliance Program demonstrates our commitment to operating ethically and honestly by establishing guidelines, processes and policies designed to: prevent and detect violations; provide education and training; provide guidance and resources to staff; monitor operations and business practices; and assist authorities with their oversight responsibilities.

It is vital that First Choice conform to the highest ethical standards and follow the laws, regulations, and policies that govern the health care industry. We do this for two reasons: To maintain our national accreditation and certification as a health care provider, and to foster the trust of our patients and stakeholders.

First Choice is an organization with strong values of responsibility and integrity. Our Code of Conduct contains general guidelines for conducting business with the highest standards of ethics. First Choice is committed to an environment where open, honest communications are the expectation, not the exception. We want you to feel comfortable in approaching your supervisor or FCCH management in instances where you believe violations of policies or standards have occurred.

 

Purpose:

The purpose of the First Choice Compliance Program is to ensure that First Choice operations are conducted in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as well as all First Choice policies and procedures and in accordance with our mission, vision and values.

First Choice Board Members, employees, volunteers, and vendors have a duty to report any actual or suspected illegal, unethical, or improper conduct. The First Choice Confidential Reporting Line is a reporting mechanism that facilitates the reporting of possible violations when the regular channels of communication have proven ineffective, or are impractical under the circumstances. Employees, volunteers, and vendors are encouraged to utilize the reporting “chain of command” by contacting their supervisor or department head.

If you are unsure about where to go with your concerns, or you feel uncomfortable reporting through normal channels of communication, or wish to raise the issue anonymously, you should access the Confidential Reporting Line. The Confidential Reporting Line is a dedicated line and the Compliance Team will not attempt to trace the call or identify the caller, if they indicate no interest in further contact.

 

Hours:

24 hours a day. The phone number, 505-724-9034, automatically patches you into a voice mailbox where you can leave a message about your concern. First Choice employees do not answer the calls. When you call the Confidential Reporting Line, you should leave a message, describing the suspected compliance problem in as much detail as possible. You do not need to leave your name or any information that may identify you.

However, if you leave your name and phone number, the Compliance Team will be able to contact you if more information is needed. The Compliance Team will pick up the messages regularly.

 

Tell Us About:

Any concerns regarding improper or unethical activity including but not limited to violations of professional standards of practice or business ethics, breach of patient privacy or confidentiality, information system security breach, sexual harassment, retaliation, inaccurate billing, or conflicts of interest.

Regardless of how a report is made, First Choice prohibits retaliation in any form against anyone who, in good faith, reports a possible violation or who participates in an investigation, even if sufficient evidence is not found to substantiate the concern. First Choice will take appropriate action against any individual determined to be engaging in retaliatory conduct.