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Unit 4 By Tami Ford, M.A. Student Technical Support If experiencing any technical difficulties, please call Technical Support at: 1-866-522-7747 Tami Ford, M.A. Adjunct Faculty School of Health Sciences Kaplan University [email protected] AIM: InstructorTami Find me on Facebook via Kaplan e-mail at Instructor Tami Ford Instructor Information Are there any questions so far? Chapter 4: Ethical Standards “Ethics is the formal study of moral choices that conform to standards of conduct. Ethics is often thought of as listening to one’s conscience” (McWay, 2008, p. 75). “Law…is a body of rules of actions or conduct prescribed by controlling authority that has binding legal force” (McWay, 2008, p. 75). “Autonomy refers to independence, self- determination, or freedom” (McWay, 2008, p. 76). Legal and Ethical Issues Distinguishing between the two can be problematic. An ethical issue is when: There is no obvious right or wrong The enforcement of the law does not appear to bring about justice Right behavior appears to bring about a wrong effect Personal sacrifice is the consequence of following ideals. One can also distinguish by looking at consequences, and if the focus of a choice is external or internal (McWay, 2008, p. 76). Autonomy “Consists of three main elements: The ability to decide The individual must possess the power to actualize or implement the decisions she makes A respect for the individual autonomy of others” (McWay, 2008, p. 77). Ethical Decision Making Codes of Ethics “Are important because they identify for the broader community what the professional association defines as the basic and ethical and moral standards to which standards must adhere” (McWay, 2008, p. 81). Bioethical Issues “Bioethics is the study of ethical issues that result from technologic and scientific advances, especially in biology and medicine” (McWay, 2008, p. 87). HCPs should be aware of bioethical issues because “It is virtually impossible for an individual to function in the modern health care world…Without such knowledge, the health care provider cannot protect both patients and providers adequately” (McWay, 2008, p. 87). Conflict of Interest “A conflict of interest is the clash between an individual’s selfish interests and her obligation to an organization or group” (McWay, 2008, p. 93). “Potential conflicts are those conflicts that give the appearance of harm or impropriety without resulting in the harm or impropriety itself” (McWay, 2008, p. 93). “Actual conflicts are those conflicts that go beyond appearance and actually involve the impropriety and harm” (McWay, 2008, p. 93). Ethics and Supervision “The supervisor plays three direct ethical roles in an organization: Serving as a role model Encouraging ethical behavior Monitoring employee conduct” (McWay, 2008, p. 94). Ethical Challenges Health Information Management “The most frequent ethical challenges center on the coding-reimbursement connection, quality review, information security, data resource management, and the protection of sensitive information, including genetic, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health, and sexual abuse information” (McWay, 2008, p. 96). Continued-Ethical Challenges Health Information Management & Third Parties “Some third parties seek inappropriate access to genetic, adoption, or behavioral health information. Others, such as vendors, may seek to be paid for work not performed” (McWay, 2008, p. 96). Steps in Ethical Decision Making Table 4-2 lists 9 steps. For the health information manager, “additional steps include: Turning to colleagues for a so-called ‘reality check’ Document the situation Address the situation through the organizational hierarchy, and if necessary…the organization’s ethics committee Seek expert advice for a local health information management chapter or AHIMA” (McWay, 2008, p. 97). Reference: McWay, D.C. (2008). Today's health information management: An integrated approach. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning. Questions? Thank you and good night