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In this episode of the Compliance Advantage Podcast, host Ross Ronan discusses transforming compliance into a strategic asset with healthcare compliance leader Jean Rush. They explore how robust compliance programs can protect profits and uncover hidden revenue opportunities through accurate coding.

They also touch on the importance of compliance readiness for private equity-backed companies, operationalizing compliance programs, and the role of board members in providing oversight. Jean shares her extensive experience across various healthcare roles and offers practical advice on making compliance a proactive, integral part of a company’s culture.

Additionally, the episode highlights the critical need for board and executive education in compliance to mitigate risks and ensure regulatory adherence.

00:07 Meet Jean Rush: A Leader in Healthcare Compliance
00:44 The Importance of Compliance Programs
01:22 Welcome to the Compliance Advantage Podcast
02:28 Jean Rush's Current Focus and Board Work
03:19 Investing in Compliance Programs
03:45 Quantifying ROI from Compliance Programs
08:07 Essentials of Effective Compliance Programs
09:06 Top-Down Commitment to Compliance
10:29 Board Members' Role in Compliance
13:33 Liability and Governance in Compliance
19:49 The Strategic Role of Compliance Executives
24:42 Proactive Assessments and Internal Audits
27:58 Advice for Future Healthcare Leaders
30:42 Work-Life Harmony: Jean Rush's Approach
32:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Jean Rush:
https://www.linkedIn.com/in/jean-rush-71b25a5

Jean had a long and successful career on the payer side of healthcare with roles that included President of Cigna’s Medicare business, CEO of Kentucky Spirit Healthplan and Head of Government Markets at Highmark Bluecross Blueshield. Following her retirement from her corporate roles in 2018, Jean has served on various Boards of Directors including Addus Homecare, Eventus Wholehealth, Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care, and WBL (Women Business Leaders in the US Healthcare Industry.) She has also served on several Advisory Boards including Aarete, Vaxcare, and The Hangout Spot.

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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Most healthcare startups ask "when do we need compliance?" Dr. Jasen Gundersen asked a better question: "how do we build with it from the start?"

In this episode, Ross sits down with Jasen, CEO and co-founder of CardioOne, a practice enablement platform supporting independent cardiologists nationwide. Jasen shares how CardioOne grew from four people to 180 employees in three years, with compliance built into their foundation from day one, not added as an afterthought.

You'll hear candid insights on educating physicians about compliance, finding partners who solve problems instead of just enforcing rules, and why compliance programs create preferred partner status with payers and hospitals.

Jasen explains how compliance became essential infrastructure at CardioOne, the kind that enables confident growth rather than slowing it down.

If you're leading a growing healthcare organization, this conversation offers real-world wisdom on scaling responsibly while keeping patient care at the center of everything you build.

02:16 Meet Dr. Jason Gunderson: From Physician to CEO

03:16 Understanding Value-Based Care vs. Fee-for-Service

05:37 The Importance of Compliance in Healthcare

09:05 Building Trust and Managing Liability

10:15 Creating Competitive Advantage through Compliance

16:14 Navigating Regulatory Challenges and Innovation

22:37 The Importance of Compliance in Healthcare

23:07 Sponsor Message: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

23:59 Education and Training in Compliance

24:57 Qualities of a Good Compliance Executive

26:41 Building a Compliance Program from Scratch

30:06 Risk Assessments and Legal Structures

33:25 Advice for New CEOs in Healthcare

39:45 Personal Health and Leadership

41:36 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Dr. Gundersen:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasen-gundersen-md-mba/

Dr. Jasen Gundersen is the CEO and Co-Founder of CardioOne, a practice enablement platform focused on supporting independent cardiologists across the country. Jasen was a practice physician that spent his career in leadership roles across multiple areas including academic medicine, hospital operations and physician practice management. He is passionate about helping supporting physicians so that they can focus on caring for patients and improving the healtcare experience for all.

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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In the premier episode of Season Five of the Compliance Advantage Podcast, host Ross Ronan delves into the transformation of compliance teams from perceived barriers to growth accelerators.

Ross reveals the common mistakes leaders make by treating compliance as a static, checklist-driven program and introduces a strategic approach to compliance that promotes organizational growth.

Key topics include:

• The shift from compliance as a 'bookshelf program' to a dynamic, strategic function
• Effective communication with business leaders to drive behavior change
• And the financial and reputational advantages of proactive compliance

The episode emphasizes the need for compliance officers to be seen as strategic partners and provides practical advice for fostering this new perception. Ross also shares insights about engaging executive compliance committees and the importance of mentorship in developing effective compliance leadership.

Tune in for valuable perspectives and actionable guidance on leveraging compliance as a competitive advantage in healthcare.

00:00 Introduction
00:51 Welcome to the Compliance Advantage Podcast
01:41 The Compliance Barrier: A Common Misconception
03:30 Transforming Compliance into a Strategic Asset
06:16 Addressing Common Objections to Compliance
11:40 Driving Behavior Change in Compliance
15:04 The Importance of Communication and Accountability
17:49 Final Thoughts and Advice for Compliance Leaders
21:54 Conclusion: Season Highlights and Future Episodes

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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In the season four finale of the Compliance Advantage Podcast, Ross Ronan, founder of Ronan Healthcare Compliance, unifies the five pillars of their Compliance Advantage framework.

Ross explains how these pillars interconnect to transform compliance from a cost center into a strategic asset. He likens the framework to building a house, emphasizing the investment mindset, essentials, liability, steady partner, and assessment pillars.

Ross elaborates on how each component builds on the other, creating a cohesive infrastructure that not only protects but also offers a competitive edge. He also discusses the proactive role of compliance leaders, the importance of operationalizing policies, understanding personal accountability, and leveraging risk assessments as proactive tools. This comprehensive approach rebrands compliance as a strategic and essential component for organizational growth and patient trust.

01:01 Welcome to the Compliance Advantage Podcast
01:48 The Unified Framework: Building a Compliance House
05:21 Investment Mindset: Strategic Capital
09:54 Operationalizing Essentials: Beyond Policies
14:32 Liability Pillar: Personal Accountability
18:11 Steady Partner: Rebranding Compliance Executives
21:33 Assessment Pillar: Proactive Risk Management
24:38 Activating the Five Pillar Framework
28:13 Conclusion: The Compliance Advantage

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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Transforming Risk Assessments into Strategic Growth Tools

In this episode of The Compliance Advantage, Ross Ronan redefines risk assessments as strategic radars crucial for growth and competitive positioning in the healthcare industry. Ross explains why successful healthcare CEOs treat risk assessments with the same importance as race car drivers do their pre-race inspections.

Using a Titanic metaphor, he illustrates how preparation and visibility lay the groundwork for sustainable expansion. Ross also covers a framework to turn risk assessment findings into strategic advantages, which can strengthen market positions.

The episode emphasizes the significance of proactive risk assessments and compliance measures, detailing what a robust risk assessment should include and how it can prevent catastrophic outcomes for healthcare organizations. Ross shares insights on creating a culture of proactive risk management and the benefits it brings to leadership and organizational growth.

00:00 Introduction to Strategic Risk Assessments
02:50 The Titanic Metaphor: Unseen Risks
06:28 Framework for Effective Risk Assessments
10:04 Components of a Strong Compliance Program
19:13 Proactive vs. Reactive Leadership
29:41 Final Takeaways and Conclusion

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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In this episode of the Compliance Advantage Podcast, host Ross Ronan, founder of Ronan Healthcare Compliance, interviews John Mizerany, president of Scribematic, with over 30 years of leadership in healthcare sectors such as urgent care, pediatrics, dialysis, and hospital systems. John discusses how stepping into the CEO role shifted his perspective on compliance from a mere operational necessity to a strategic foundation for growth.

He emphasizes the importance of a robust compliance infrastructure in driving enterprise value and shares his experiences on how to make compliance a resource embraced by teams. Additionally, John reflects on the mentorship that shaped his leadership approach and the importance of incorporating compliance as an integral part of an organization's fabric.

The episode also touches on risk assessments and strategic partnerships in compliance, highlighting the proactive measures required to maintain organizational health and avoid liabilities.

00:00 Introduction to Compliance as a Competitive Advantage
00:08 Meet John Mizerany: A Healthcare Executive's Journey
03:49 John's Leadership Philosophy and Influences
08:44 Transforming Compliance into a Strategic Asset
13:32 The Value of Compliance in Healthcare Organizations
18:03 Building a Strong Compliance Program
25:04 The Importance of Risk Assessment
33:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

John Mizerany's Bio:
John Mizerany is an accomplished multi-site healthcare executive with over 30 years of experience in various sectors such as urgent care, pediatrics, dialysis, surgery centers, hospital systems, management consulting and his experience spans the publicly traded, private-equity as well as not-for-profit settings. John has served as CEO for Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care, CareNow and he currently serves as President for Scribematic, which is an AI medical scribe company that functions as an ambient co-pilot for physicians and clinicians that listens, transcribes, and rapidly creates very accurate medical notes related to patient visits and procedures. John is a proponent and advocate for compliance planning and has led efforts to create compliance plans at prior organizations (eg Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care). John is born and raised in St. Louis, earned both his Bachelor’s degree in Finance and MBA degree from Saint Louis University’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business as well as his MHA degree from Saint Louis University’s School of Public Health. He lives and spent most of his career in Texas, is married (now 22 years), has 2 daughters in college and enjoys travel, fitness and tennis when he has downtime.

Follow John on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmizerany/

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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Transforming Compliance: Lessons from 'Margin Call' for Healthcare Executives

In this episode of the Compliance Advantage Podcast, host Ross Ronan dissects the 2008 film 'Margin Call' to highlight the critical role of compliance executives in preventing organizational disasters. Using the movie as a backdrop, Ross introduces his STEADY framework to illustrate how compliance officers can be transformed from regulatory enforcers to strategic partners. Key topics include the importance of transparency, strategic planning, documentation, and adaptability in compliance programs. Ross also discusses the real-world implications of these principles in healthcare, emphasizing that 89% of healthcare fraud cases involve leadership aware of compliance issues who failed to act. The episode aims to help healthcare executives reframe their approach to compliance as a strategic asset that not only mitigates risk but also drives growth and innovation.

00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Compliance
01:53 Analyzing 'Margin Call': A Case Study
06:35 The Steady Framework: Transforming Compliance
07:54 Strategy and Transparency in Compliance
13:24 Evaluation and Adaptation: Key Compliance Skills
20:15 Documentation and Yield: Ensuring Continuity and ROI
30:41 Practical Steps for Healthcare CEOs
33:25 Conclusion: Building a Strong Compliance Program

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance

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In this episode of the Compliance Advantage Podcast, Ross Ronan delves into the pivotal role of leadership in transforming compliance accountability into a strategic asset. Using the Deepwater Horizon disaster as a case study, Ross highlights the necessity of rigorous testing and oversight in regulatory compliance.

He emphasizes the importance of direct communication channels between compliance officers and executive leadership, warning against the pitfalls of delegating compliance responsibility without proper oversight. Critical lessons are drawn from real-world examples in healthcare, including the importance of preventing operational pressures from overriding safety concerns, maintaining rigorous testing protocols, and understanding the personal liability that healthcare leaders face.

The discussion underscores how proactive compliance efforts not only protect organizations from regulatory pitfalls but also support sustainable growth and exceptional patient outcomes.

00:00 Transforming Leadership Decisions for Future Success
01:03 Introduction to the Compliance Advantage Podcast
01:49 Deep Water Horizon: A Lesson in Leadership Accountability
05:23 Translating Accountability to Healthcare
06:26 The Importance of Testing and Oversight
10:07 Hope is Not a Tactic: Lessons from Deepwater Horizon
13:49 Delegating Compliance Responsibilities
15:59 Operational Pressures vs. Safety Concerns
18:21 Personal Liability in Healthcare Compliance
22:19 Real-World Examples of Leadership Accountability
26:46 Effective Compliance Oversight
36:28 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Connect with Ross

• LinkedIn: Ross Ronan
• Podcast Show Page: The Compliance Advantage
• Ross' Company: Ronan Healthcare Compliance