Mary Smalle: Director of Health Care Compliance and Regulations
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Mary Smalle received her B.S. in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Old Westbury and her Master of Science in Health Care Administration (MSHCA), as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), from University of Maryland University College. She holds an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in the states of New York and Arizona. She also hold the designation of Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) through the Compliance Certification Board and is an active member of the Health Care Compliance Association. She teaches at Arizona State University in the CONHI - Health Care Compliance and Regulations program. She has recently accepted a full time assignment as the Director of the Health Care Compliance and Regulations for the Baccalaureate program. She will continue teaching as the program grows.
Q: Briefly explain to me your main areas of focus as the new director of the Health Care Compliance and Regulations program.
My main areas of focus: curriculum agility, inclusive enrollment, accreditations and broad employment opportunities.
Q: Why did you initially apply for this job with the College of Nursing and Health Innovation?
After meeting Cris Wells, Senior Director of a number of Baccalaureate programs at ASU, at an annual compliance conference I was excited to hear that a Compliance and Regulations program was being developed for the Baccalaureate level. Regulatory compliance is an expectation of all participants within the health care field. This program introduces Compliance as a profession. It also has the potential to teach this vital subject matter to all health care professionals, clinical and administrative, earlier in their education, and prior to embarking on their healthcare career. From a compliance and regulatory audit perspective, it is more cost effective to proactively have providers and staff that possess this awareness prior to engaging in health care.
Q: What got you interested in health care compliance and regulations?
I am a CPA. I have participated in many audits in various capacities. I understand how costly, in many ways, audit findings can be. While working in an Academic Medical setting I participated in leading a very detailed and new Sarbanes Oxley control review on Revenue and Research activities. I received a recommendation to join the Heath Care Compliance Association (HCCA). I investigated that lead and become certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC). This profession is vital for the industry.
Q: Where did you work before you joined us at CONHI?
I have been fortunate to work in Academic Medical (Mayo Clinic), Community Health Care Systems (affiliated with Ascension) and a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (CVS). All of these are complex organization. In these capacities I have been exposed to medical research, medical education, most all of the provider system points of service and various aspects of pharmacy delivery systems. I have also learned and experienced the ever changing complexities of our country’s third party payer system.
Q: What are some of the big challenges you see facing your new role?
ASU like all complex organizations is composed of many sub-organizations. Learning the interrelationships and how to leverage the complexity will be an ever changing puzzle. I look forward to the challenge. Similarly health care regulations are complex and ever changing. Books get out dated quickly so staying current will need to be built via regulator websites, list serves and other forms of media.
Q: What are some of your goals while serving as the director of Health Care Compliance and Regulations?
Curriculum agility: Getting majors, minors and classes useful to all persons entering the health care field as a provider, an administrator, or as a governance professional (such as a Compliance officer, Internal Auditor, Board Member etc.). Student Engagement: Getting students closer to the current activities in the Health Care provider settings and in the Regulatory, Investigative and Enforcement agencies.
Q: Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies or areas of interest?
My exercise of choice is boxing training. It is a full body, mentally focusing, strategic exercise that I enjoy. I like to paint. My favorite medium is watercolor. I do play with gardening. Each day I do my part to keep my Darwin vegetable garden alive in the desert.