From Allegation to Action: A Healthcare Response Roadmap
Speaker
Joan Porcaro, RN, BSN, MM, CPC, CPHRM, DFASHRM
Joan Porcaro is a recognized leader in healthcare risk management, operational performance, and enterprise risk strategy. As Senior Vice President of Risk Services – Healthcare for the North America Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry, she guides organizations in strengthening clinical, operational, and risk management resilience across an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.
With a career spanning nursing, executive leadership, and specialized risk consulting, Porcaro is known for her ability to translate real-world clinical insight into strategic, system-level solutions. Her expertise includes risk management, risk management, claims, regulatory compliance, patient safety, and organizational culture transformation. She has partnered with health systems, physician enterprises, insurers, and healthcare organizations to reduce exposure, enhance reliability, and build sustainable frameworks for high-quality care delivery.
Porcaro’s background includes extensive experience in acute care, medical management, and healthcare operations, complemented by advanced credentials in professional healthcare risk management, and executive leadership. A Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (DFASHRM), she is widely respected for her contributions to the profession, including thought leadership, education, and mentorship of emerging risk leaders.
Throughout her career, she has championed a proactive, data-driven approach to risk, one that empowers organizations to anticipate challenges, strengthen performance, and protect both patients and caregivers. Her work reflects a deep commitment to advancing safe, equitable, and reliable healthcare across North America.
Description
Allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct in healthcare settings require an immediate, coordinated, and expertly guided response. This webinar provides a comprehensive, step‑by‑step framework for how healthcare organizations should receive, evaluate, and investigate these high‑risk events. Participants will learn how to conduct and defend a credible investigation that withstands regulatory, legal, and public scrutiny.
Drawing on best practices in risk management, trauma‑informed care, regulatory compliance, and organizational response, this session will walk attendees through the full lifecycle of an allegation—from initial disclosure to evidence preservation, multidisciplinary communication pathways, investigative techniques, decision‑making, and long‑term organizational recovery.
The session also highlights how to support patients, employees, and care teams while maintaining confidentiality and professional boundaries.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the webinar, the participant should be able to:
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- Apply a consistent and defensible response process. Describe the essential steps for receiving, escalating, and investigating an initial allegation of sexual abuse and misconduct in healthcare, including patient safety measures, evidence preservation, and multidisciplinary notification pathways.
- Conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation. Explain how to structure and execute investigative interviews, manage documentation and confidentiality, and collaborate with law enforcement—while maintaining fairness, neutrality, and compliance with regulatory and licensing mandates. Evaluate areas where implicit bias can influence a SAM investigation.
- Strengthen organizational readiness and system safeguards. Identify opportunities to improve policies, training, supervision, and incident reporting culture to reduce risk, enhance survey readiness, and support long‑term organizational recovery after a sexual misconduct allegation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number 12205 for 1 contact hour.
This meeting has been submitted for approval for 1 contact hour of Continuing Education Credit toward fulfillment of the requirements of ASHRM designations of FASHRM (Fellow) and DFASHRM (Distinguished Fellow) and towards CPHRM renewal.