What is ethics? According to Velasquez et al (2010), “ethics is a well-founded standard of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.” Ethical issues arise when the standards are challenged. The issue that arises with ethics is everyone is different and puts value on different things. Porter-O’Grady and Malloch (2007) explain that each person has a different background, affected by life experience and brings an individual framework to situation. So, then based on this definition, what is an ethical issue that arises in this author’s specialty area?
Case management (CM) is the specialty practice area of this author. In an ever challenging managed care environment, it is the case managers’ job to work within company policies and guidelines to promote cost-effective quality outcomes for the population served, while at the same time remaining a staunch advocate of their patients, (Coffman 2001). How does a case manager meet the financial goals of the company, but remain true to patient centered goals? This is the challenge faced by CM leadership, encouraging patient advocacy and safety, but also alleviating the pressure placed on them to meet departmental financial goals. What strategies can a CM leader employ to assist the case manager in meeting the expectation outlined for them?
A few of the key