VHS Compliance Office

The Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Compliance Office strives to provide practical advice and solutions to support ethical decision-making and a culture of integrity.

In addition to helping faculty, staff, and students understand applicable laws, rules, regulations, and policies, we provide the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences with training coordination, policy writing assistance and/or creation of best practices, a hotline that allows individuals to raise compliance issues and receive appropriate guidance, and assistance with developing and implementing corrective action plans.   

We also serve as subject matter experts for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) matters that arise from the education and research enterprise and work closely with the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences EVMS Medical Group at Old Dominion University to assist with patient privacy matters.

Compliance Programs/Reporting

Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences and Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences EVMS Medical Group Compliance Programs

Old Dominion University (“ODU”) maintains an effective University Compliance Program that fosters a culture of compliance awareness, adherence, and collaboration. Healthcare compliance at the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University (“VHS”) supports the University Compliance Program by promoting a culture where faculty, staff, and trainees maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies governing medical and health professions education, research, and patient care. 

Similarly, Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences EVMS Medical Group at Old Dominion University has designed a compliance program to address patient privacy and billing compliance issues specifically. 

Reporting Compliance Concerns

In accordance with University Policy 1003, University Responsibility for Compliance, all Old Dominion University employees, faculty, volunteers, students, and residents, as well as business associates of the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences EVMS Medical Group at Old Dominion University, have a responsibility to comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures regarding the conduct of research, education, and patient care.  In addition, each individual is expected to make good faith efforts to prevent, detect, and resolve or correct activity that could lead to fraud, waste, or abuse or that is contrary to our mission and values.  An important part of that effort is knowing how to obtain clarification on a policy, regulation, or law or reporting non-compliance to the appropriate individuals. 

Questions about policy, regulations,  laws, or suspected/actual non-compliance should first be made to the appropriate supervisor, department head, or the next higher level of management. If those individuals are unable to serve as a resource, other suggested ODU resources are listed here.  In addition, VHS maintains an Ethics and Compliance Hotline, 1.800.461.9330, to report compliance concerns, such as HIPAA concerns, student and resident mistreatment, and other ethical, regulatory, or conduct concerns.  The hotline is maintained by a third-party vendor that is not affiliated with the university, which allows for anonymous reporting if desired.  The hotline also has an “Ask a Question” feature that allows individuals to request clarification on policies, regulations, or laws.  All reports and questions received are triaged to the applicable ODU/VHS subject matter expert(s), and individuals who use the hotline may log back into their account to see the response.  Reports may also be made via phone or in-person to the VHS Associate Vice President of Compliance, 757.446.6008.  

Patient complaints should be made to the EVMS Medical Group Privacy Line at 757-451-6298, but are also accepted on the hotline. 

In accordance with University Policy 3020, all individuals who make a good faith report about incidents that are illegal, fraudulent, abusive, or contrary to applicable law and University policy are protected from retaliation. 

In accordance with University Policy 3020, all individuals who make a good faith report about incidents that are illegal, fraudulent, abusive, or contrary to applicable law and University policy are protected from retaliation.