Our Charity Care Audit Work Program’s primary purpose is to ensure that these programs are compliant with internal policies and procedures. The document outlines a detailed audit plan, which includes high-level reviews of practices, detailed analysis of selected charity care accounts, and reviews of bad debt accounts to ascertain charity care eligibility. It provides a step-by-step process, from preliminary review to final procedures, to follow. This includes meeting with key contacts, preparing the audit program, conducting detailed planning, scheduling meetings, and performing quality assurance and control activities.

The document also includes procedures for evaluating the hospital's current approach to complying with charity care program policies, validating the application of charity care processes, and ensuring the existence of a charity care committee. Through its thorough and methodical approach, this document is instrumental in maintaining transparency, accountability and adherence to policy in the administration of charity care programs within hospitals.

Best-practice audit steps include:

• Evaluating each entity’s current approach to complying with the charity care program policies and procedures by performing a practice assessment
• Meeting with key contacts to gain a high-level understanding of the process and to discuss audit objectives
• Conducting information-gathering interviews to understand each entity’s approach to complying with procedures outlined in the charity care program policy
• Validating the application of charity care processes via teleconference with key personnel at the selected hospital facilities