How to File a Compliance Report
A guide for UPAMM members on external reporting options and when to use them
upamm@upamm.org
What Is a Compliance Report?
A compliance report is a formal concern submitted to the University of Michigan's Ethics, Integrity & Compliance Office (EICO) — an independent office that operates separately from your department, your division, and your supervisors.
When you file a compliance report, it is reviewed by people outside your normal reporting structure. This means it cannot be quietly handled, reassigned, or ignored by the same leadership you may have concerns about.
🔗 File a Compliance Report →How Is This Different from a Safety Report?
You may already be familiar with Safety Reports — available through Epic (U of M links in the bottom toolbar) and the Clinical Home Page. Safety reports go into Michigan Medicine's internal safety reporting system. They are important and you should continue to use them.
But they stay inside the institution. If the problem involves leadership, systemic failures, or concerns that have already been raised and not addressed internally, a compliance report may be the right next step.
Safety Report
- Filed through Epic or Clinical Home Page
- Reviewed internally by Michigan Medicine
- Best for clinical safety events and near-misses
- Appropriate when internal channels can address the issue
Compliance Report
- Filed with U-M's independent EICO office
- Reviewed outside your reporting structure
- Best for systemic, unresolved, or leadership concerns
- Available when internal channels have failed
When to Use Each
Use a Safety Report when…
- A patient safety event or near-miss occurred
- You want to document a clinical concern for quality improvement
- The issue is operational and internal channels can address it
Consider a Compliance Report when…
- You have concerns about a high-level supervisor or administrator
- You reported something internally and it was not resolved
- There are serious, systemic patient safety issues not being addressed
- You believe institutional policy, regulations, or law may be violated
When to Use All Three — Safety Report + Compliance Report + ADO
For significant patient safety issues that have been reported repeatedly without resolution — chronic understaffing, unsafe ratios, systemic gaps in coverage — we strongly encourage you to file all three:
These tools work together. Filing all three on the same event creates the most complete and durable record — internal and external, clinical and contractual. It signals clearly that this is not a one-time concern, and it cannot be quietly resolved without accountability.
The pattern matters as much as the individual event. Every time the same problem is documented from a different angle, the case for fixing it becomes harder to dismiss.
What About Anonymity?
Compliance reports can be submitted completely anonymously. You do not have to identify yourself.
That said — if you are comfortable doing so, including your contact information is helpful. It allows the compliance office to reach you if they have follow-up questions or need clarification. They take confidentiality seriously and will do their best to protect your identity throughout the process.
Quick Reference — All Reporting Tools
Your Steward Is Here
If you're unsure what to file, when to file, or how — reach out. We can help you think through your situation, document your concern, and make sure you're protected before you take any formal step.