U CAN 2: A pathway to a medical profession
TC Regional Health Care Corporation

 Photo by Lt. Stephen D. Navarro
Vincent Shirley Jr., Corporate Compliance Program Officer at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp,

 Photo by Lt. Stephen D. Navarro Vincent Shirley Jr., Corporate Compliance Program Officer at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp,

TUBA CITY — Vincent Shirley Jr., Corporate Compliance Program Officer at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp, graduated from Ganado High School and achieved a bachelor’s of science degree in industrial management with an emphasis in environmental technology management through Arizona State University Polytechnic.

This degree encompasses all areas of industries such as health and safety management, environmental engineering as well as the environment.

“This degree is much in line with how to interpret federal regulations and laws” said Vincent.

He has worked at TCRHCC for 3 years.

What brought Vincent to Tuba City, he said, was the opportunity to learn, help his native people, living among family and exploring possibilities that will impact their future.

When asked what he likes like his job, Shirley responded, “The corporate compliance officer job (or role) I play is an important one, in that I believe business, however small or large, must exuberate confidence and integrity to flourish in today’s business world. That’s right — business World, TCRHCC is a business and it is important we follow and have good business sense and ethics.”

He pointed out his position is fairly new one at TCRHCC.

“What I like about my job is the impact/significance placed on the organization,” Shirley said.

“I have the responsibility to oversee the program along with oversight from a compliance committee that governs activities to orchestrate monitoring, adherence to federal laws on healthcare business, ensure proper internal controls and systems are in place to deter corporate healthcare fraud, waste and abuse.”

He explained that he reports findings to appropriate departments, CEO, and no less than annually to the Board of Directors.

“The healthcare industry is highly regulated and it must be so, because TCRHCC (as a PL93-638 entity) deals with lives and the livelihood of the community we serve,” Shirley said.

“Healthcare compliance is very complex and often misunderstood. That’s not to say I know everything about compliance, but in essence on how TCRHCC should/must conduct business both ethically and professionally.”

He pointed out many aspects and requirements (laws) that TCRHCC must comply with in meeting local (tribal) and governmental requirements, to ensure TCRHCC is a contributing factor to society and especially to the community it serves.

“I like studying all areas of health law, whether it is researching CMS – CoP’s (Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services – Condition of Participation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), OIG guidelines (Office Inspector General), JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization), etc., which all play a significant role to my overall job responsibility.”

When asked for words that would inspire someone or our youth Shirley said, “Explore the possibilities, study hard and learn health systems, learn auditing techniques or essentials, earn a degree (science based), study healthcare administration, learn tribal law, healthcare billing and coding, health law, learn to interpret and educate laws and regulations to higher level administrators (CEO’s, COO’s, department directors), physicians, nurses, managers, etc.

He mentioned that some organizations also require certifications.

“Attain the Certification in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) from the Healthcare Compliance Certification Board (HCCB) or other equivalent types,” Shirley said.

“Ultimately earn a graduate degree (MBA, MHSM, MHA, or JD-Health Law); this will immerse you in the role to be more marketable and versatile to reach higher levels within an organization/company.”

Take that first step

Seek out a college with the profession that you are interested in and make an appointment with their counselors to develop your career pathway.

If you would like more information in the medical profession or health care field, please contact Lt. Stephen D. Navarro at 928-283-2710, Michelle Francis at 328-283-2041 or Lt. Shannon Newland at 928-283-2598.

(US Public Health Service Lt. Stephen D. Navarro is nurse recruiter at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp.)

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