Ethical Behavior and Consumer Rights
Upholding high standards of ethical conduct and advocating for the rights of patients and their family caregivers.
Framework
Ethical Behavior and Consumer Rights includes the following aspects:
- Decision-Making
- Responsibility to the Patient and Family
Self-Assessment
NHPCO has produced a self-assessment checklist for hospices.
Members can view the Self-Assessment Checklist for Ethical Behavior and Consumer Rights
Pathways to Success
Pathways to success for upholding ethical behavior and consumer rights include:
- Organizational Structure and Culture: Develop a separate organizational ethics committee or charge an existing ethics committee with organizational ethics issues.
- Patient and Family Centered Care: Respect patient and family wishes.
- Creating a Culture of Ethics: Develop a Code of Ethics and share best practices with others in the community.
NHPCO Standards of Practice for Hospice Programs
Members can view the chapter on Ethical Behavior and Consumer Rights
Resources and Tools
Members can view the following in Resources and Tools for Ethical Behavior and Consumer Rights
Essential Materials Find fundamental and key resources.
NHPCO Resources Coming soon! Read Larry Beresford’s NewsLine article on Ethical Behavior and Consumer Rights.
Web Links Find information on other institutions, organizations, and resources that focus on ethical behavior and consumer practices.
Quality Partners@ InfoCenter Quality Partners @ InfoCenter offers members access to an online database with over 400 records of resources related to the ten components. Members can either search through the database or click on provided links that will conveniently display a listing of resources under the following headings: Essential Materials, Background Materials, Performance Measures, NHPCO Resources, and Resources Categorized by NHPCO Standards.
Background
Visit Quality Partners @ InfoCenter to find these and other resources:
- Daugherty, Christopher K., Steensma, David P. Overcoming Obstacles to Hospice Care: An Ethical Examination of Inertia and Inaction. (Journal of Clinical Oncology. V.20, Iss.11. June, 2002: 2752-2755.)
Help Desk
If after reviewing the online resources you need additional assistance, contact quality@nhpco.org or the Quality Team at 703/837-1500.
Marketplace Availability
The following publications support aspects of ethical behavior and consumer rights:
