Steve Hertig ensures Rogers meets state and federal standards while advocating for our programs
07/14/23 01:30:pm
“It’s what allows us to keep the lights on,” Steve says. “If we were not to adhere, we could get what’s called an immediate jeopardy for patient safety issues within our hospitals, which would prevent us from accepting additional patients until we corrected the issue. It’s critical we stay in front of and keep up with all the regulatory bodies that oversee us.”
Steve is responsible for all state and federal licensing, in addition to The Joint Commission accreditation standards.
“We do mock surveys where we pretend to be the state surveyor prior to expecting a licensing visit from the state of Wisconsin,” he explains. “Those happen once a year for some of our programs and once every two years for others. They come out at all different frequencies and timeframes.”
Since joining Rogers as director of Regulatory Affairs in August 2018, the team has grown from three to nine.
“We’ve incorporated auditing into our processes and have built awareness to the nuanced standards that exist between one license and another,” he says. “For example, what Focus Depression Recovery at Kubly needs because they’re an adult residential program, differs from what the OCD and Anxiety Child and Adolescent Center needs because they’re overseen by the Department of Children and Family Services which has different expectations.”
Steve analyzes the standards and advocates for Rogers’ care and the programs we provide.
“There are opportunities where we can give one program relief for something that doesn’t necessarily pertain to them, rather than lumping them together,” he says. “Peeling those standards apart is something we’ve done over the last several years. I enjoy discussions about what we want to do operationally and how we can make that work within the state regulations.”
Steve says maintaining open and clear communication is key to what his department does.
“We try to educate, implement, and ensure ongoing compliance, which can be challenging considering there have been multiple updates to state licensing standards and The Joint Commission tweaks their standards twice a year,” he says. “My department handles all the applications and the recertification processes. If a complaint is filed, we try to be the point of contact to navigate and manage any questions from our state and federal licensing bodies.”
Steve worked in quality assurance after college for a Texas-based manufacturer before joining Phoenix Care Systems, Inc., now Broadstep Behavioral Health, which provides outpatient, residential, and education services across the country for children and adults with mental health challenges and developmental disabilities. Steve worked to improve processes, which morphed into ensuring the company was meeting state standards, in addition to handling legal issues. He was chief compliance officer when he left to join Rogers.
“I enjoy being the standard bearer of quality, communicating what we have to do to meet standards, and ensuring we’re not imposing more than what’s needed,” he says.
Steve says being part of an organization that changes lives is rewarding.
“I appreciate the specialty care we provide, which is way above and beyond the basic care of many others,” he says. “I love the medical staff we have and their clinical expertise. They’re dedicated to making people’s lives better. Everyone is willing to jump in and roll up their sleeves and do the work. It’s exciting to see how we’re expanding and adding opportunities to help more people.”
Getting to know Steve
Besides the hobby farm, Steve likes to build in his spare time. His projects include a barn, playset, and chicken coop, in addition to remodeling projects around the house.
