Frontiers of Health Services Management - Fall 2013 - (Page 27)

Ethics, Values, and Decision Making n ancy l evitt -r oSenthal , Fache Th r o ug h o u t h i s t o ry, u sing one’s values in personal decision mak- Nancy Levitt-Rosenthal, FACHE, is senior vice president of Greenwich Hospital and vice president of Yale New Haven Health System in Greenwich, Connecticut. N a nc y L e vitt- R os e nt ha l , FAC H E • 27 C o m m e n t a r y ing has implied integrity, ethical behavior, and leadership. i recently viewed a fascinating short documentary by Scott Sniffin titled Home of the Brave: When Southbury Said No to the Nazis. the film describes the attempted development of a military camp by the german american Bund movement in Southbury, connecticut, in 1937 and details the actions of the townspeople to thwart the camp’s development despite the fact that doing so would mean giving up an important freedom. as the Bund was in the initial stages of developing its twenty-fifth military training site in the rural town of Southbury, the townspeople, clergy, and selectman (mayor) held an open town meeting to discuss the camp’s development and its implications for the town’s residents. the townspeople strongly opposed the Bund’s actions and decided at that town meeting not to let the Bund finish developing its site by creating obstacles to doing so. to carry out their task, they instituted zoning laws in the community that prohibited military training camps. While not a unanimous decision, as the townspeople had enjoyed the absence of zoning laws and restrictions, the majority agreed that it was more important to act in accordance with their values, even if they had to give up one of their freedoms in the process. the townsfolk did what they felt was right, demonstrating exemplary leadership, high-values-based behavior, and self-sacrifice. today, healthcare executives and caregivers are guided by their respective professional code of ethics, which aims to protect patients, families, employees, and others from harm and mistreatment. an organization’s ethical conduct ensures the safety of all who work, visit, or are cared for within its confines.

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