In today’s fast-paced business environment, effective communication is critical to an organization’s success. As it relates to the complex regulatory landscape of healthcare, effective communication also plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the organization remains compliant. Compliance officers, tasked with maintaining adherence to these regulations, often face significant challenges when communication within the organization is siloed.
A few months ago I wrote an article entitled, Overcoming Communication Blindspots, where I briefly touched upon siloed communications as one example of a blindspot. This article will extend that discussion by offering some strategies to help overcome siloed communications. Having this skillset improves your ability to gain buy-in to your compliance program—and help you effectively navigate the compliance program through the politics of healthcare.
What is siloed communication?
For purposes of this article, I define “siloed communication” as a situation where an employee, or a department, is not communicating with others in the organization who have a legitimate need-to-know. Sometimes these situations are the intentional, while other times they are not. To help illustrate what these situations look like, consider the following examples of siloed communication:
Isolated Decision-Making: Decision-making confined to specific departments without seeking input or insights from other relevant teams.
Strict Hierarchical Communication: Hierarchical communication structures that inhibit open dialogue between employees at different levels and departments.
Limited Information Sharing: Employees or departments not sharing crucial details related to an operational process or organizational objective with other teams.
Communication Barriers: Limited or no communication channels between departments (e.g., no cross-functional meetings or cross-departmental projects).
Competing Objectives: Departments pursuing individual objectives without considering broader organizational goals.
Departmental Rivalries: Unhealthy competition or rivalries between departments.
Inadequate Training Across Departments: Employees lacking training in areas outside their immediate department, limiting their understanding of the organization as a whole.
Limited Cross-Functional Understanding: Employees having a narrow understanding of their own roles and responsibilities without a broader awareness of how their work contributes to the organization’s overall success.
While the above list is not intended to be all-inclusive, it does represent common scenarios where organizational departments operate in isolation, thereby hindering collaboration and overall efficiency.
Depending upon the circumstance, siloed communications can spill over into a compliance issue. For example, let’s assume there is a new Medicare billing requirement affecting a clinical department (e.g., medical imaging). If the medical imaging department was never made aware of the new requirement and continues to treat and bill for services provided to patients under the old requirement, the organization is now looking at an investigation and potential repayment. For that reason, it’s helpful for compliance officers to have some strategies for overcoming siloed communications in order to foster a more efficient—and compliant, organization.
Strategies for Overcoming Siloed Communication
Below are some strategies that can help you when it comes to siloed communications:
Self-Awareness: Be mindful about your own actions to ensure that you’re not engaging in siloed communication. When it is appropriate, and respectful, communicate with others in the organization who have a legitimate need-to-know.
If You See Something, Say Something. If you are communicating with others, and recognize that someone with a legitimate need-to-know is not included in the discussion, say something. You can either speak up to whomever controls the communication, or close the loop yourself if it’s appropriate to do so.
Encourage Cross-Functional Teams: When addressing a compliance-related matter, create cross-functional teams that include members from different departments so that all affected employees understand the broader picture of the organization.
Promote Open Communication: When appropriate, be mindful of promoting a culture of openness where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and information (e.g., establish regular project meetings, feedback sessions, surveys, one-on-one discussions, or open forums).
Provide Cross-Training Opportunities: Whenever possible, cross-train employees to develop a broader understanding of different roles within the organization. This can be particularly helpful when it comes to ensuring the organization is meeting compliance requirements.
Clarify Roles and Responsibilities: When appropriate for your role on a project, clearly define roles and responsibilities within each department to avoid confusion. If it is not within your role, then speak up to identify that need for the good of the group that is working on the project.
Pulling it All Together
Siloed communication is often a significant factor producing misunderstanding and conflict in an organization. At times, these situations can spill over into a compliance issue that needs to be addressed.
By implementing the above-noted strategies, you can help break down silos and create a more collaborative and compliant environment. Over time, developing this skillset will improve your ability to gain buy-in to the compliance program—and effectively navigate the politics of healthcare.
