Healthcare Code of Ethics

Because of the power that healthcare providers have and the trust that people place in them, the healthcare industry has created ethical guidelines specific to the medical profession. Healthcare professionals—including doctors, nurses and hospital executives—have set codes of ethics that they operate by.

Ethics Codes

• The American Health Care Association (AHCA) publishes an official code of ethics for medical providers that aims to set standards for what is right and good. This code is not an all-purpose rule book that must be followed to the letter, but rather a guidebook that helps create an ethical culture among healthcare professionals. It's a set of values and behaviors that the American Health Care Association has deemed acceptable as a standard of conduct at all levels of the association. The National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) also publishes a code of ethics. This code is equally concerned with public care, but it includes a greater emphasis on internal matters.

Quality Service

• From beginning to end, healthcare professional must strive to provide the best quality care for their patients. According to the AHCA, healthcare professional should inform patients of all possible positive and negative outcomes, so they can make informed decision in regards to their care. Likewise, the NAHQ requires that doctors should not use their knowledge to confuse a patient when it's time to make decisions about his care. Doctor should ensure that patients understand all of the options when making a decision.

Accountability

• Mistakes do happen, so it's important that all healthcare professionals maintain accountability for their actions, good or bad. Whether it's giving credit where due to a colleague or owning up to mistakes, healthcare professionals should be held accountable for the acts they do. The NAHQ code states that healthcare professionals must comply with all of the laws and regulations and avoid partaking in any fraudulent or deceptive actions.

Difficult Choices

• The AHCA code acknowledges that what a doctor views as the right course of action may differ from the opinion of the patient. It is important, therefore, for the healthcare professional to listen with sensitivity and an open mind to the concerns of the patient when determining a course of care. Discussions about medical decisions should be honest and civil.

Cost of Care

• All people who enter a hospital are entitled to quality health care. In terms of lower-income families who require long-term care, the AHCA code strongly promotes the practice of a hospital or facility providing cost-effective services that are affordable to most members of society. Not only should the monetary costs be considered, but also those of the social and psychological needs of the patient.