All affiliates
of the American College of Healthcare Executives agree, as a condition
of membership, to abide by ACHE’s Code
of Ethics. But in a rapidly changing marketplace characterized
by mounting challenges, new relationships, and rapid technological change,
even the best-intentioned healthcare executive is likely to struggle with
certain ethical dilemmas.
This self-assessment
is designed to help you identify those areas where you are on strong ethical
ground; areas where you may wish to examine the basis for your responses;
and opportunities for further reflection. This tool is intended for personal
use and should not be considered a tool for evaluating others' ethical
behavior.
We hope that
you find this self-assessment thought-provoking and useful. You are to
be commended for taking time out of your schedule to complete it. If you
wish to further pursue any of the issues raised by these questions, a
bibliography of related books, journal
articles, and periodicals is also available on this site.
Please
check one answer for each of the following questions.
I.
Leadership
I
take courageous, consistent, and appropriate management actions to
overcome barriers to achieving our organization’s mission.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
place community/patient benefit over my personal gain.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
work to ensure that decisions about access to care are based primarily
on medical necessity, not only on the ability to pay.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
My
statements and actions are consistent with a professional standard
of propriety.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
My
statements and actions are honest even when circumstances would allow
me to confuse the issues.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
advocate ethical decision-making by the board, management team, and
medical staff.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
encourage innovative actions as appropriate, even when maintaining
the status quo would be an easier choice.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
use an ethically sensitive approach to conflict resolution.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
initiate and encourage discussion of the ethical aspects of management/
financial issues.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
initiate and promote discussion of controversial issues affecting
community/patient health, e.g., domestic and community violence and
decisions near the end of life.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
promptly and candidly explain to internal and external stakeholders
negative economic trends and encourage appropriate action.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
use my authority solely to fulfill my responsibilities and not for
self-interest or to further the interests of family, friends, or associates.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
When
an ethical dilemma confronts my organization or me, I am successful
in finding an effective resolution process and ensuring it is followed.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
demonstrate respect for my colleagues, superiors, and staff.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
demonstrate that my organization’s vision, mission, and value
statements are living documents.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
make timely decisions rather than delaying them to avoid difficult
or politically risky choices.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
My
personal expense reports are accurate and are only billed to a single
organization.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
II.
Relationships
Community
I
promote community health status improvement as a guiding goal of my
organization and as a cornerstone of my efforts on behalf of my organization.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
personally devote time to developing solutions to community health
problems.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
encourage my management team to devote personal time to community
service.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
Patients
and Their Families
I
am a patient advocate on both clinical and financial matters.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
ensure equitable treatment of patients regardless of socio-economic
group or payor category.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
demonstrate through organizational policies and personal actions that
overtreatment and undertreatment of patients are unacceptable.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
protect patients’ rights to autonomy, clinical efficacy, and
full information about their illnesses, treatment options, and related
costs.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
promote medical record confidentiality and do not tolerate breaches
of this confidentiality.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
Board
I
have a system in place for Board members to make full disclosure and
reveal potential conflicts of interest.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
ensure that reports to the Board, my own or others’, appropriately
convey risks of decisions or proposed projects.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
work to keep the Board focused on ethical issues of importance to
the community and other stakeholders.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
promote Board discussion of resource allocation issues, particularly
those where organizational and community interests may appear to be
incompatible.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
keep the Board appropriately informed about issues of alleged financial
malfeasance, clinical malpractice, and potential litigious situations
involving employees.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
Colleagues
and Staff
I
maintain confidences entrusted to me.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
demonstrate through personal actions and organizational policies zero
tolerance for any form of staff harassment.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
fulfill the promises I make.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
am respectful of views different from mine.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
am respectful of individuals who differ from me in ethnicity, gender,
education, or job position.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
convey negative news promptly and openly, not allowing employees or
others to be misled.
Almost
Never
Occasionally
Usually
Always
N/A
I
promote professional development for staff, for their benefit and
the benefit of the organization.
