Organizational Ethics

The development and implementation of an organizational ethics program can benefit emergency medicine organizations, including hospital emergency departments, emergency medicine groups, and entities providing business or professional support to the practice of emergency medicine, or advocacy on behalf of emergency patients. While the frequently complex matrix of responsibilities to multiple organizations can complicate this task, the benefits of navigating the challenges far outweigh the costs. In addition, the professional imperative to do so is compelling, and should be embraced by all emergency care providers, particularly emergency physicians. Organizational ethics is a relatively new, and rapidly developing area within health care ethics. Given the unique challenges of emergency medicine in providing care to "patients without choices," and within the context of multiple organizations, it is also an area of ethics in which emergency physicians should chart a clear leadership role.