Frontiers of Health Services Management - Fall 2013 - (Page 24)

Exhibit 1 Potential Costs of Ethical Conflicts Operation cost categories Direct costs • Staff time • Ethics consultants time • Staff and consultants time diverted from patient care and/or other activities • Staff and consultants stress • Decreased staff morale • Staff burnout • Staff turnover • Additional staff needed • Risk management staff time • Legal fees • Court fees • Settlement costs • Staff work diverted from other activities • Staff stress • Higher malpractice costs • Budget adjustments for settlements and awards • Additional staff needed • Public relations time • Public relations consultant costs • Advertising costs • Public image needs to be rebuilt • Staff work diverted • Staff morale and stress • Negative public image • Loss of self-referrals and market share • Decreased philanthropic support Indirect costs Long-term costs Legal cost categories Direct costs Indirect costs Long-term costs Public relations cost categories Direct costs Indirect costs Long-term costs Source: Reprinted with permission from Nelson, Weeks, and Campfield (2008). of justice, fairness, and compassion when considering discipline for a staff member who may have done the wrong thing, but for the right reason, such as not coding every component of a patient visit so as to limit the out-of-pocket expense for a patient with known financial hardship? Some Practical Suggestions How can an organization be transformed into one in which a shared ethical culture is apparent in all that transpires within it—one that provides staff and associates with a moral compass? a suggested first step is to subject the organization to an 2 4 • f ro ntier s o f h ea lt h s e rvic e s m a na g e me nt 30 :1

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