Sample Organizational Ethics Statement
The governing board of the Health Center has established this statement of organizational ethics in
recognition of the center's responsibility to its patients, staff, physicians, and the community it serves. It is
the responsibility of every member of this Health Center community - governing board members,
administration, medical staff members, and employees - to act in a manner that is consistent with this
policy and its supporting policies. The behavior of all members of this Health Center community will be
guided by the following principles:

All patients, employees, physicians, and visitors deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and
courtesy. . We will fairly and consistently represent ourselves and our capabilities. . We will
provide services to meet the identified needs of our patients and will constantly seek to avoid
providing those services that are unnecessary or ineffective. . We will observe a uniform standard
of care throughout the center.

The center will constantly strive to follow and expand on these principles. admission, transfer, and
discharge

Regardless of the settings in which this center provides patient services, we will follow
well-designed standards of care based upon patient needs. We will provide services only to those
patients for whom this center can safely provide care. Even as we work to provide care in a more
economical manner to patients and providers, we will strive to provide care that meets our own
standards of quality. Written criteria will guide caregivers in deciding to admit, treat, transfer, or
discharge patients.

We will not turn patients away who are in need of our services because they are unable to payor
because of any other factor that is substantially unrelated to patient care.
Marketing
We will fairly and accurately represent ourselves and our capabilities. Respect for the patient
We will treat all patients with dignity, respect, and courtesy. All patients (or their significant
others) will be involved - to the extent that is practical and possible - in decisions regarding the
care that we deliver. We will inform patients about alternative therapies and the risks associated
with the care we offer them. We will constantly seek to understand and respect their objectives
for care.
In all circumstances, we will attempt to treat patients in a manner appropriate to their backgrounds,
cultures, religions, and heritages.
Resolution of conflicts in patient care decisions
We recognize that conflicts might arise among those who participate in center and patient care decisions.
Whether this conflict is between members of administration, medical staff, employees, or governing
board members, or between patient caregivers and the patient, we will seek to fairly and objectively
resolve all conflicts. In cases where mutual satisfaction cannot be achieved, it is the policy of this board to
involve the patient advocate or the administrator on call to oversee resolution of the conflict. Other staff
and second opinions will be involved as needed to pursue a mutually satisfactory resolution.
Recognition of potential conflicts of interest
We understand that the potential for conflict of interest exists for decision makers at all levels within the
center - including governing board members, administration, the medical staff, and all other employees. It
is our policy to request the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest so that appropriate action may be
taken to ensure that the conflict does not inappropriately influence important decisions.
Governing board members, administration, and medical staff leaders are required to submit an annual
disclosure form and to disclose potential conflicts related to decisions that arise during the course of a
year. The governing board or the medical executive committee will review potential conflicts and take
appropriate action. In the event a potential conflict of interest has a direct impact on patient care, the
center may convene an ethics committee to assist in the resolution of the issue.
Fair billing practice
The health center and its medical staff will invoice patients or third parties only for services actually
provided to patients, and will provide assistance to patients seeking to understand the cost of their care.
We will attempt to resolve questions and objections to patients' satisfaction while considering the center's
best interest as well.
Confidentiality
The center recognizes the extreme need to maintain the confidentiality of patient-related and other
information. As such, patient information will not be shared in an unauthorized manner, and sensitive
information concerning personnel and management issues will be maintained in the strictest confidence
and accessible only to those individuals authorized to review and act upon such information.
Integrity
Clinical decision-making is based on patient need without regard to how the center compensates its
leaders, managers, clinical staff, and licensed independent practitioners.
Underlying each of the above principles is our overall commitment to act with integrity in all of our
activities and to treat the center's employees, patients, physicians, and the many constituents we serve
with utmost respect.