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Ethical Practices

ChristianaCare is committed to providing total patient care.

Ethical Patient Care Operational Financial Employment Ethics Consultation

Providing Ethical Patient Care 

ChristianaCare is committed to providing patient care and conducting business operations in an ethical manner consistent with its mission, core values, regulatory requirements and policies.

In Clinical Practice, ChristianaCare will:

  • Consistently support clinical excellence and patient safety, evaluating competency through credentialing and performance review, and monitoring quality and efficiency through the Performance Improvement and Utilization Management programs.
  • Inform patients and family of their options for care including associated risks, benefits and alternatives.
  • Inform patients and families of unanticipated outcomes, including those potentially associated with an error in care.
  • Meet individual patient needs through collaborative use of resources.
  • Consider cultural, religious and personal values and beliefs when providing care or services.
  • Provide a standard of care and services that meets identified needs of patients, regardless of payment source.
  • Provide access to services for the identified needs of our patients regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other factor that may form the basis for discrimination.
  • In medical teaching and research, use resources wisely, maximizing learning while protecting patients and complying with regulatory requirements.
  • Allow patients the option to perform or refuse tasks in or for ChristianaCare that may be part of their therapeutic treatment plan.

In Operational Practice, ChristianaCare will:

  • Deliver only those services ChristianaCare can safely and effectively provide.
  • Maintain a safe environment for patients, care providers and visitors.
  • Establish relationships with other organizations, third-party payors and vendors in a fair and ethical manner.
  • Comply with applicable state and federal laws, including those affecting the qualifications of the corporation for participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
  • Provide resources such as administration, Human Resources, Patient Relations, Member Services and the Ethics Consultation Subcommittee to resolve questions and concerns to the satisfaction of those associated with ChristianaCare.
  • Avoid conflicts of interest at all levels to support objective decision making.
  • Maintain patient information and sensitive personnel and management issues in a confidential manner.
  • Truthfully represent itself and its capabilities in marketing and advertising activities.
  • Enforce rules that prevent solicitation or distribution from interfering with patient care and business operations.

In Financial Practice, ChristianaCare will:

  • Invoice patients or third parties only for services provided.
  • Provide assistance to patients seeking to understand the charges relative to their care and services.
  • Attempt to fairly resolve conflicts associated with patient billing.
  • Provide a 24-hour employee compliance hotline for reporting suspected breaches in financial practice.

In Employment Practice, ChristianaCare will:

  • Recognize that there may be situations where conflicts arise related to an employee’s religious or ethical beliefs and cultural or moral values that impact their willingness to participate in certain aspects of patient care. When such conflicts arise, employees will be permitted to request exclusion from certain aspects of patient care. There is no guarantee that the request will be granted, because patient care cannot be compromised.
  • Require employees and others associated with ChristianaCare to be responsible for the integrity and accuracy of the organization’s documents and records.
  • Require that employees with authority to recommend employment or approve purchases of supplies, services or equipment report to their supervisor any potential conflict of interest or confirm that no conflict of interest exists.
  • Require managers to explain to their staff the conflict-of-interest policy of ChristianaCare.
  • Seek to avoid situations in which responsible employees or others associated with ChristianaCare might be or appear to be compromised by outside obligations. Such persons shall not enter into arrangements that could result in improper payment or benefit to the employee or ChristianaCare.

Ethics Consultation Service

ChristianaCare provides an ethics consultation service for you and your family. Our consultation team consists of doctors, nurses, clergy, legal/risk experts, and professional ethicists. If you are experiencing difficulties such as treatment disagreement with your doctors, confusion over what decision you should make for your family too sick to speak for themselves, and need for help and guidance on any moral and ethical questions or problems, please request an ethics consultation.

If you would like to arrange the consultation, your doctor and nurse can make the arrangements for you, or you can just call ChristianaCare Information Desk by calling 302-733-1000 and ask the operator that you want to speak with the ethics team available 24-hours-a-day.

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