Often a particularly challenging situation highlights a systemic challenge or issue. Those systemic issues often require a consistent – policy-based response. All health care organizations have a multitude of polices, many of which were specifically drafted to ensure consistent ethical responses to persistent challenges. How does your organization ensure that policies get developed and reviewed through an “ethical” lens? Ethics review of policies can be done on a case-by-case basis or as part of a package of ethics services.
In addition sometimes it makes sense to explicitly identify the ethical components of a particular policy or strategic direction. What is at stake – in ethical terms, if a hospital enters in to a joint venture with a for-profit organization? What are the implications of accepting donations or sponsorship from third parties? When and how should you disclose an issue that impacts your community – but has not yet caused harm? We can identify and clarify the ethical values at stake and help organizations make decisions that most clearly represent their values.