Learning
Credentialing
Compliance
It’s the day all compliance officers dread: the day an audit request shows up. This can quickly send your team into crisis mode: envisioning the worst case scenario, scrambling to identify evidence, and digging for documents or proof.
This craze to prepare for an upcoming audit is unpleasant, and it can be unproductive if you don’t take time to evaluate the audit request, understand the scope, and be thoughtful about evidence. Learning to think like an auditor can help you and your team find clarity and calm amidst the chaos of audit prep — it’s about asking the right questions, thinking critically about the story your evidence tells, and understanding the expectations of your auditor.
In this blog, I’ll share my top lessons to help you think like an auditor, so you can go into your next audit with confidence.
Lesson #1: Always Provide Context
Auditors don’t know your organization. They won’t understand your systems the way you do, and what seems obvious internally can be unclear to an outsider. Every organization approaches compliance differently, so it’s your job to frame the picture.
Assume your auditor knows nothing. Include background on your ownership structure, size, staff rosters, role descriptions, and how processes are handled. When you provide context, your evidence doesn’t just show compliance — it explains why you operate the way you do, helping your auditor connect the dots.
Lesson #2: Keep Risk Front and Center
A healthy sense of risk keeps everyone focused on the audit’s importance. Penalties can range from small corrective actions to millions in recoupments or even jail time.
For example, in 2023, a healthcare system was fined nearly $500,000 for HIPAA violations after an audit revealed inadequate access controls. That wasn’t because they lacked policies — it was because they underestimated the risk and failed to act urgently.
When your team understands what’s at stake, audits won’t get pushed aside by “more immediate” tasks. Instead, they’ll be handled with the appropriate urgency and focus they require.
Thinking Like an Auditor: How to Use Evidence to Pass an Audit
Lesson #3: Start With Policy
Policies are the foundation of compliance. Without them, even perfect day-to-day practices won’t be considered compliant. A written policy legitimizes your operations and proves that you measure performance against defined standards.
Make sure you maintain:
- A tidy, accessible policy library
- Regular policy updates aligned with federal, state, and accreditor requirements
- Tools or processes that allow quick retrieval during audits
Compliance software that helps you update and organize your policies is a great tool to help keep you audit-ready at a moment’s notice.
A policy shows the standard — but the next step is demonstrating that it actually drives your procedures.
Lesson #4: Tell a Compliance Story
Oftentimes, compliance teams get wrapped up in gathering evidence for an audit but forget to tell the story of how that evidence demonstrates compliance. Evidence is only as good as the story it tells to your auditor, so it is essential to be thinking thoroughly and strategically about how each piece of evidence you select can prove compliance.
For example, say you’re facing an audit about privacy and data security during telehealth. You might think to pull your organization’s telehealth policy. While this is good evidence, it’s only part of the story — the policy alone doesn’t tell an auditor much. Where’s the proof this policy is being practiced? Is there proof of staff acknowledgement? Any evidence this policy has shaped staff procedures? Supporting evidence is necessary here to tell a full story of compliance to your auditor.
When you weave these pieces together, your evidence creates a narrative: policy → procedure → practice. That’s the story an auditor is looking for.
Lesson #5: Equip Your Team With the Right Tools
Audit success depends on preparation. That means having the right systems in place to organize policies, track compliance, and centralize documentation.
Some organizations rely on compliance software to simplify this work. Technology can centralize document and policy management, simplify compliance tracking and reporting, and eliminate the administrative burden that accompanies audit prep.
Other organizations lean on strong internal filing systems and regular mock audits. Whatever tools you choose, the goal is the same: accurate information, accessible documents, and thorough reporting.
Technology, particularly AI-enhanced tools, can reduce administrative burden and flag risks before they become findings — but remember, no tool replaces the need for clear policies and well-trained people.
Are You Thinking Like an Auditor?
The difference between a smooth, successful audit and a stressful one often comes down to perspective. By thinking like an auditor, you don’t just gather documentation — you create a clear, compelling compliance narrative.
This mindset helps you spot gaps before they become findings, prepares your team for scrutiny, and fosters a culture of compliance that protects your patients, your staff, and your reputation.
If you’d like more practical examples, guides like MedTrainer’s Audit Documentation Guide are a great resource. But the real key is simple: start looking at your own organization the way an auditor would.
Download the guide today and start shaping your compliance strategy through the eyes of an auditor.