The idea of incorporating incentives, rewards, and recognition into compliance programs is nothing new.

Incentives, rewards, and recognition—along with discipline and sanctions—are ways healthcare organizations maintain standards of accountability among employees. In fact, they are part of the foundation of an effective compliance program.

Incentives and rewards were included in the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines’ Seven Elements of Compliance^[1] in 1991, which state: “The organization’s compliance and ethics program shall be promoted and enforced consistently throughout the organization through (A) appropriate incentives to perform in accordance with the compliance and ethics program . . .”