Medical Code of Conduct

The American Medical Association (AMA) provides a model code of conduct for medical staffs to use when developing their own staff bylaws. According to the AMA, these bylaws should be the only means for reviewing and disciplining medical staff members.

Appropriate Behavior

• Members of the medical staff should not be disciplined for appropriate behavior, says the AMA. This includes offering reasonable criticism that aims to improve patient care and safety, expressing concern about a patient's care or expressing dissatisfaction with policies, if they've gone through "appropriate grievance channels."

Inappropriate Behavior

• Inappropriate behavior includes name calling, belittling, use of profanity, blatant failure to respond to patient care needs or requests from the staff, sarcasm, deliberate lack of cooperation, deliberate refusal to return phone calls or other messages concerning patient care, and intentionally degrading comments about patients or their families, nurses, doctors, hospital employees and/or the hospital.

Disruptive Behavior

• Disruptive behavior by medical staff members isn't tolerated. This includes physically threatening anyone at the hospital; throwing instruments, charts, or other objects; sexual harassment; and repeated threats of litigation. In addition, repeated inappropriate behavior can be treated as disruptive behavior.

Interventions

• The focus of an intervention should be to protect patient care and help the offending medical staff member. Interventions should be nonadversarial, if possible, and include discussions with the section chief or department chairperson, a letter of admonition or a written warning. Suspension should be considered only when the doctor's behavior presents an immediate danger to someone's health.