Ethics and Social Responsibility in Health and Medicine

Ethics are moral principles, values, and beliefs which govern the actions and behaviors of individuals, with associated mindsets providing them with guidance regarding what is good or bad and right or wrong. As health and medical organizations are collections of individuals entrusted with carrying out associated operations, great care must be taken to ensure that each employee acts in an ethical fashion. This requires vigilance on the part of healthcare establishments, necessitating the development of a formal code of conduct, staffing practices which emphasize ethics, ethics training programs, and systems of accountability and control which foster ethical behaviors. Entrusting employees to operate in an ethical fashion without supplying direct and comprehensive guidance is a formula for disaster, as individuals are products of their own respective histories, leading to different views of what does and does not constitute an ethically appropriate action. As such, proper investments must be directed toward instilling within employees the ethical mindsets espoused by healthcare providers, leading to consistent behaviors, especially when ethical dilemmas present themselves. This chapter explores ethics in health and medical organizations, providing healthcare managers with tools and techniques that foster all-important ethical operation. The related topic of social responsibility is also explored, rounding out discussions.