Since the beginning of the Pandemic, we have realized how important community is. Connecting with people in new and healthy ways has become the norm. My social life was part of my travels prior to COVID and now I see that social networking changing in the future. My relationship with clients was a part of me. There were days when I felt as though I had made a difference in someone’s life as I traveled across the country. When a site launched a process my team was implementing, I cannot describe the overall exhilaration I experienced. For me, seeing a positive trajectory encouraged me to continue to help clients each and every day.
Then COVID hit. Living out of a suitcase on the road stopped. The relationships that I had face to face were no longer existent. Building that rapport via zoom is not always easy. I am grateful for the community of compliance people that surround me. Whether it’s the billing or compliance peeps, the HCCA colleagues across the country or the rookie that just needs help figuring out how to do a coverage analysis, I treasured those times. Now, our field is experiencing an enormous amount of change. We are having to figure out how to manage time while working remotely, how to train new staff when we are not able to be next to each other, or how to manage the quality of research care during isolation and restrictions. We all are going to need to learn how to adjust to new ways of collaborating and practicing as research professionals as we move forward.
Relying on our peers with whom we can relate our burdens and challenges to is essential during this crazy time. Reach out to colleagues and lead the way when they feel insecure. Passionate words may matter if they are having a bad day. Encourage others to turn on their camera on zoom so you can have eye contact. Framing an effective message to others through a meeting on zoom can be problematic when they will not turn on their camera and you have no idea their body language or facial expression.
The landscape of research healthcare compliance will evolve in ways we cannot imagine yet. No matter what the future brings, my constant will always be a shared commitment to you to keep our relationship alive and adjust as needed. Stay well as we weather the storm.