May 7, 2019 —Even with just nine members, our Compliance team is responsible for helping support our more than 5,000-person workforce in following laws and regulations and, most important, protecting our patients’ privacy. This afternoon, I had the pleasure of spending some time with this small-but-mighty group.

One of the first things Christina Galbo, chief compliance and privacy officer, said was that the team strives to make what can sometimes be an intimidating subject as approachable as possible. So, it was only fitting that I was greeted with a fun “Jeopardy”-style game to learn more about their roles, responsibilities and accomplishments. Although I was familiar with a few areas from my “past life” as a physician, many of the local stats were new to me — fortunately, the team gave me a cheat sheet to help put me on the right track!

While covering topics including statistics, acronyms (my strongest) and common compliance phrases, I learned a great deal. A few of my favorite takeaways were the fact that between all members, the team has an incredible 71.6 years of experience between them, and that they are consistently brainstorming fresh ways to keep Rady Children’s staff engaged and the lines of communication open. All of my hosts were in agreement that a strong and friendly rapport with staff is hugely important, and that they are here to be helpful, not scary. I certainly felt that spirit throughout my visit!

Once the game wrapped up, we took a few minutes to chat, and I opened the floor to questions for me. I got a particularly great query asking me to share one of the most innovative ideas I’ve seen in the compliance space.  I’m proud to say that although I’ve always worked with amazing compliance professionals, my answer was an initiative the team right here at Rady Children’s is collaborating on to further enhance how they connect with our employees! In a field that is built on ensuring rules are followed to a T, I can only imagine how challenging it can be to find new, unique ways to share important information while giving it the focus and deference it deserves. It was fantastic to hear how devoted our Compliance team is to doing just that.

The group then helped me mark my passport with their colorful stamp, and presented me with some great gifts to send me on my way. Along with tasty cookies, I received a mug emblazoned with the phrase “Keep Calm and Compliance On.” I can’t wait to enjoy many a cup of coffee with it. Thank you, Team Compliance!