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Louder than words. A multi-institutional system sets ethical standards for corporate action
1Mission Services, Wheaton Francisan Services, Inc., IL.
Health Progress (Saint Louis, Mo.)
|December 10, 1989
Summary
Wheaton Franciscan Services developed corporate ethics standards through a collaborative process involving a task force and system-wide feedback. This ensured broad ownership and addressed key ethical areas in healthcare provision and institutional responsibility.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Business Ethics
- Organizational Development
Background:
- Establishing corporate ethics standards is crucial for healthcare organizations.
- Wheaton Franciscan Services (WFSI) aimed to create standards reflecting mutual relationships and community responsibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop comprehensive corporate ethics standards for WFSI.
- To foster a sense of ownership among stakeholders through inclusive planning.
Main Methods:
- Formation of a 25-member multidisciplinary task force.
- Development of a position paper on corporate ethics.
- Iterative drafting and critique of standards involving 157 individuals system-wide.
Main Results:
- A multi-stage feedback process led to the finalization of corporate ethics standards.
- The approved standards cover service provision, employee relations, social responsibility, confidentiality, and conflict of interest.
Conclusions:
- A participatory approach is effective in developing and gaining acceptance for corporate ethics standards.
- The WFSI standards provide a framework for ethical operations in a Catholic-sponsored healthcare system.