The Office of Inspector General (OIG) compliance guidance recommends that organizations designate “a corporate compliance committee, charged with the responsibility of operating and monitoring the compliance program.”[4] A compliance committee is an oversight committee. The compliance committee, in contrast to a board-level compliance committee, is a management-level committee charged with oversight. It is sometimes also referred to as the corporate compliance committee, executive compliance committee, compliance oversight committee, or similar.
The compliance committee supports the compliance officer in fulfilling their responsibilities (e.g., assists in the analysis of organization’s risk areas and oversees monitoring of internal and external audits and investigations). This committee typically meets formally at least quarterly, has written agendas, takes meeting minutes, and operates under a written compliance committee charter outlining its responsibilities. The compliance department will in all likelihood be responsible for scheduling meetings, preparing the agenda, taking and distributing minutes, and coordinating follow-up. Larger organizations may also have subcommittees to the compliance committee that focus on specific areas of compliance, such as privacy, policy development, revenue cycle oversight, or similar.