EPiHC publishes IBLF Global’s assessment of corruption risks in hospital management
16 November 2023
The International Finance Corporation's EPiHC (Ethical Principles in Healthcare Initiative) published "Towards a Culture of Integrity in Hospitals", a report of some of the lessons from our recent assessment of corruption risk in a major hospital group. (https://lnkd.in/e-Uexy_3)
Here are some of the risk areas we identified:
- Defining integrity: Do the staff know the ethical values of the hospital? Do they understand them? Do they agree with them? Do they put them into practice in their everyday work?
- Consistency: How consistent is the understanding of ethical values throughout the hospital, between medical and administrative functions, senior management and junior, and between different hospitals within the group?
- Openness: How open are the employees to discussing integrity amongst themselves? How open are they to discussing integrity with their managers?
- Reporting and enforcement: Is there a reporting system? Is it clear to everyone? Can whistle-blowers be sure that they will be protected? Can they be confident that action will be taken against the person engaging in corrupt activities?
- Enforcement: What are the disciplinary procedures and measures and are they clear to everyone?
- External risk: How are the hospital’s ethical values explained and extended to suppliers and other external stakeholders such as government decision-makers?
- The role of the Board and top management: How active and vocal are the Board and top management in promoting integrity throughout the organisation?
Based on our research, we concluded that these risk areas were not unique to this hospital. In fact, they should be the focus of attention of any hospital management team that understands the intimate connection between good governance, transparency and integrity on one hand, and patient care on the other.
For more information about EPiHC, an association of over 320 organisations committed to raising standards and trust in healthcare, visit their website:
https://www.epihc.org/
Ethical Principles in Healthcare Initiative - EPiHC
IBLF Global