Spotlight: Carrie Aiken, Chief Administrative Officer

We recently sat down with Carrie Aiken, Chief Administrative Officer, to discuss her strategic areas of focus — including Human Resources (HR) and Compliance — at Navitus.

Tell us more about your position as Chief Administrative Officer, and what you are most excited about in this role.

Having stepped into this role last fall, it’s really gratifying to learn about and absorb the wisdom of the HR team. There are many synergies between Human Resources and Compliance, so there are new opportunities for alignment and to share knowledge. 

What past experiences as a senior leader have influenced your work at Navitus?

In several of my leadership roles, it’s taking the time to understand and get familiar with the “new.” Health care is always changing so it’s critical to be ready for what is next, what is changing, and how we need to evolve to get ahead and sometimes just keep up. 

How would you describe your personal approach to building a culture of compliance within a health care organization?

It’s essential to practice what you preach. Having policies is just one element but not the only one. There needs to be operational interaction, support for process improvement, dialogue and sharing, and helping people sort out concerns. You must be in the mix to help model and move forward.

What frameworks or methodologies do you rely on to assess and mitigate compliance risk across complex health care operations?

We use a Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) in evaluating risk. This helps get to the source of what can cause failure and what the impact is, letting you figure out how big the risk is so you know where to prioritize.

How do you ensure that the Navitus HR policies reflect the diverse needs of today’s workforce while supporting organizational goals?

This is a team sport across HR and really shows the value of feedback. Whether it’s through the associate engagement survey, benefit questions or general inquiries, these help keep us informed about what is on the mind of our associates. We can find out what needs are greatest and make adjustments to retain our talent and ensure job satisfaction.

What are some of the most impactful changes you’ve made to improve associate engagement, retention or well-being?

One that stands out is our Disaster Relief policy for associates. We have experienced unprecedented natural events over the last few years – floods, tornadoes and ice storms. As a result, some associates have been impacted and displaced during recovery. This policy provides corporate-supplied PTO and support guidelines for a period, to allow them to focus on family and well-being while they reorganize their lives and future. We not only help human beings who are members or patients, but also our fellow associates. 

What advice would you give to other leaders trying to integrate compliance and HR in a way that drives both accountability and trust?

It’s important to be straightforward and clear in communication whether it’s a policy or some other documentation. Compliance and HR are two areas where ambiguity is not helpful. If you provide messaging that is understood with facts, explanations or references, this allows others to know your position and that it’s based on substance – not an opinion, not a whim and not off the cuff. That allows others to also learn the information and adopt it for next time. 

Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share?

Lifelong learning is the key to keeping engaged and energized. There is usually an opportunity to challenge yourself or be challenged by others. Stay open to both!

WRITTEN BY CARRIE AIKEN, CHC

Carrie provides active leadership and support for the Navitus Corporate Compliance, Information Governance, and Fraud programs, and oversees Human Resources and administrative activities. She also serves as the Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer.

Carrie is certified in health care compliance through the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) and serves on the board of directors and Privacy Workgroup for the HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin.