Managing Healthcare Compliance in Louisiana

With its distinctive legal environment, Louisiana poses a few unique healthcare compliance challenges that differ from other states. Managing healthcare compliance in Louisiana successfully means that providers and organizations can skillfully navigate their state-specific regulatory framework. This is crucial to provide high-quality, ethical healthcare services while avoiding legal or financial consequences for being out of compliance.

To achieve both compliance and quality care, facilities need a strong system in place for staying on top of regulatory changes and implementing any modifications in a timely manner. This post offers insight into managing healthcare compliance in Louisiana, taking into account the state’s unique legal and cultural influences on its regulations.

Louisiana Healthcare Compliance Resources

Let’s start with the important state government agencies you’ll need to work with:

• The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is the state agency responsible for public health initiatives, healthcare policy, and overseeing medical services and facilities throughout Louisiana. With its broad range of departments and services, the LDH works tirelessly to protect and improve Louisiana’s public health. 
• The Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA) is a member-based organization that advocates for and supports hospitals and healthcare providers across Louisiana State to enhance the quality and accessibility of healthcare. It serves as a vital resource and helps hospitals navigate complex regulatory environments, foster collaboration among healthcare professionals, and promote best practices in patient care.
• The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Medicaid Program administers the state’s Medicaid services, providing essential health coverage to qualifying residents, including low-income individuals, families, and seniors.
• The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners is the regulatory body responsible for licensing and regulating physicians and other healthcare professionals in Louisiana, ensuring they meet the required standards for medical practice.
• The Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners (LPCBE) oversees licensure and regulation of behavioral/mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy, including Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPCs), and Provisional Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (PLMFTs).

These agencies help maintain the integrity and quality of healthcare services in Louisiana, protecting the public and promoting patient safety. The resources provided by these Louisiana state agencies are essential for promoting public health, ensuring access to healthcare, supporting healthcare professionals, and enhancing overall health outcomes for the residents of Louisiana.

Regulations Unique to Louisiana

To meet the standards of healthcare compliance in Louisiana, there are a few additional regulations.

Telehealth Regulations

In Louisiana, telehealth regulations have specific provisions that healthcare providers and their employers need to be aware of. The state’s Medicaid program reimburses for live video telehealth services, remote patient monitoring, and audio-only consultations, but does not reimburse for store-and-forward services. Additionally, healthcare providers who are a part of the Audiology and Speech Language (ASLP), Counseling (CC), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Medical (IMLC), Nursing (NLC), Occupational Therapy (OT), or Physical Therapy (PT) interstate compacts must adhere to specific consent requirements for telehealth services. Together, these regulations reflect Louisiana’s approach to integrating telehealth into its healthcare system while ensuring patient safety and quality of care.

Medical Marijuana and Cannabis Regulations

Medical marijuana regulation in Louisiana is overseen by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). The LDH is responsible for monitoring production facilities, verifying product standards, and ensuring providers are compliant. Due to federal law restrictions, Louisiana providers give “recommendations” for medical cannabis, rather than an official prescription. Qualified providers that give patient recommendations for medical marijuana must be a board-certified Louisiana physician. Medical and compliance professionals can refer to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners Therapeutic Marijuana Guidance for more information.

Tips To Manage Healthcare Compliance in Louisiana

Effectively managing healthcare compliance in Louisiana is a critical responsibility for healthcare organizations, as it ensures the delivery of high-quality care while adhering to legal and regulatory requirements. Here are some key strategies to help healthcare organizations manage compliance effectively:

• Conduct State-Specific Training: Provide ongoing training and education to staff that is customized to your state’s regulations as well as your facility. If using a learning management system, ensure the vendor offers Louisiana-approved training.
• Organize Policies By Requirement: Including “LA” in every document that is required by the state will make it much easier for you to find these documents in an online system when a surveyor is onsite. It is also best practice to include the standard you are meeting for additional clarity.
• Establish a System for Monitoring Risk: Being able to identify compliance risks before they become incidents or violations can save the entire organization time and money. Identifying trends and consistently reviewing reports can signal issues, such as training not being completed or a large number of incidents in one location.
• Use Compliance Management Software: Accreditation surveyors say organizations that use compliance software are more prepared for onsite visits and surveys. The software helps to keep documents and policies organized, ensures training content is up to date, and makes reporting easy.

By implementing these strategies and fostering a culture of compliance within your healthcare organization, you can effectively manage healthcare compliance, reduce risks, and provide the best possible care to your patients while staying within legal boundaries.

Credentialing Compliance in Louisiana

Louisiana’s credentialing system requires payers to accept either the Louisiana Standardized Credentialing Application Form or the format used by the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH). These two options help to ensure uniformity in the submission of applicants’ information across various payers. Furthermore, once a provider is credentialed by a payer at any location in Louisiana (and maintains credentialing requirements), the provider is considered credentialed for all other locations in the state where they may legally practice in contract with the payer. This provision aims to simplify the credentialing process for providers working in multiple locations within Louisiana​.

Meet Louisiana Compliance Requirements With MedTrainer 

While the path may be complex, healthcare providers who prioritize compliance will not only avoid legal troubles but also enhance the quality of care they provide to their patients in Louisiana. 

MedTrainer’s all-in-one compliance platform can streamline management of Louisiana healthcare compliance. MedTrainer seamlessly consolidates your organization’s policies, incident reports, safety plans, HR documents, contracts, and more. This centralized repository ensures all employees have easy access to essential information. The course library is curated to align with regulatory and accreditation requirements, and courses are regularly added and updated to ensure the most current information. Learn more about MedTrainer today!