You are the chief executive officer (CEO) of a 500-bed hospital in the Southeastern United States. Your desire is to train your management team on the principles of ethics for health care leaders. Review the American College of Healthcare Executives Code of Ethics. Select one of the six sections of the code, reflect on the responsibilities under that section, and explain how you will train your management team to meet them.
Sample Solution
I will focus on Section III, which deals with Interaction with Other Healthcare Professionals. This code of ethics holds that healthcare executives should "demonstrate the highest standards of professional responsibility in dealing fairly and honestly with colleagues, other health professionals, employees, volunteers, vendors and community partners." I plan to train my management team by emphasizing the importance of maintaining professional relationships built on trust and mutual respect. This begins by making sure all interactions are respectful and courteous. They must also treat everyone else involved in the process as an equal partner when it comes to decision-making and problem-solving. Additionally, they should take care not to exploit their privileged positions for personal gain or advantage. Finally, I would emphasize the need for transparency in our communications and actions so that those we work with can have confidence in our intentions. By instilling these principles into my management team's daily practices, I am confident it will result in a healthier organizational culture overall.