Frontiers of Health Services Management - Fall 2013 - (Page 15)
H
Ethics as the Foundation
the business of healthcare is distinct from
the business of business: “Health services
organizations . . . are social enterprises with
an economic dimension, rather than economic organizations with a social dimension” (Darr 2011, 289). those who provide
care to patients—clinical practitioners such
as physicians, nurses, social workers, and
pharmacists—have long adhered to codes
of professional ethics, which reflect a set of
shared practitioner values. in all of these
codes, the practitioner’s responsibility for
the care of each patient is paramount.
freeman and Stewart (2006, 3) state
that an ethical culture starts with ethical leaders who “embody the purpose,
vision, and values of the organization
and of the constituents, within an
understanding of ethical ideals.” they
offer the following ten-point framework for developing and evaluating
ethical leadership and creating an ethical organizational culture.
Ethical leaders must
• articulate and embody the purpose
and values of the organization;
• focus on organizational success
rather than personal ego;
• find the best people;
• create a living conversation about
ethics, values, and the creation of
value for stakeholders;
• create mechanisms of dissent;
• take a charitable understanding of
others’ values;
• make tough calls while being
imaginative;
• know the limits of their values and
ethical principles;
• frame actions in ethical terms; and
• connect basic values to stakeholder
support and societal legitimacy.
John J. D onne l l a n Jr., FAC H E • 15
f e a t u r e
ealthcare organizations are, by their
very nature and mission, values
based. i cannot think of a healthcare organization—public, private, or nonprofit—
that does not have a mission statement
rooted in a carefully articulated set of
organizational values. indeed, the principal organization that accredits healthcare
systems, the Joint commission (2011),
requires one to be in place. But have these
statements been translated into shared values that are apparent in the behaviors of
the organization’s associates at every level,
that is, trustees, staff, contractual partners,
and so forth? are they reflected in day-today clinical and managerial operations and
strategic decision making? Do they serve
as a moral compass to guide the organization and its staff?
translating an organization’s mission,
vision, and values statements into a set
of shared values—a common morality, a
“moral compass”—is critically important
to steer behavior and decision making,
especially in times of ethical uncertainty.
Doing so requires that leaders of healthcare organizations take a broad view of the
role of ethics in managing a healthcare
system, that responsibilities traditionally
viewed as managerial be examined on their
ethical merits, and that ethical behavior be
defined as more than merely obeying the
rules. in what follows, i explore the differences between ethics programs and compliance programs and offer some practical
suggestions for establishing a solid ethical
infrastructure that guides organizational
behavior and decision making, resolves
current and prevents future ethical conflicts, and reduces moral distress.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Frontiers of Health Services Management - Fall 2013
Frontiers of Health Services Management - Fall 2013
Contents
Editorial
The Case for Values as a Basis for Organizational Culture
A Moral Compass for Management Decision Making: A Healthcare CEO’s Reflections
Ethics, Values, and Decision Making
Wanted: Morally Courageous Leaders
The Imperative of a Moral Compass–Driven Healthcare Organization
Frontiers of Health Services Management - Fall 2013
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