Ethics and Professionalism

Summary

An abbreviated version of our intensive two-day ethics course, this one-day course is grounded in the premise that everyone has the potential to commit a boundary or ethics violation. The course addresses and remediates issues rooted in lack of adherence to laws, rules, guidelines, codes, or policies. Many health care professionals referred to this course have never learned the intricacies of the legal, regulatory, and ethical obligations of their professions. Through a comprehensive pre-course, participants become versed in those professional obligations and initiate the process of self-assessment.

Participants arrive at the seminar primed to examine their infractions. They will learn how they got to this point and why they are being held to account. At the end of the course they will develop their Personalized Protection Plan that elevates accountability in order to prevent recidivism.

Format

1. ME-15
   • 7.5 hours of pre-course assignments
   • One day course
2. ME-15 Extended
   • 7.5 hours of pre-course assignments
   • One day course
   • 12 hour post-course faculty-led group conference calls (MAS). One hour weekly for 12 weeks.

Professions this course is suitable for

Physicians, dentists, veterinarians, pharmacists, chiropractors, physician assistants, nurses, mental health providers, EMT's, physical therapists, students, and a wide variety of other clinicians. This course can also be adapted to be applicable for attorneys.

Causes for referral

• Bending or breaking laws or rules
  • Noncompliance with orders/deadlines
• Driving under the influence (DUI/DWI)
• Financial improprieties
  • Fraud
  • Inappropriate billing
  • Over diagnosing, over-treating
  • Waiving copays
• HIPAA or confidentiality violations
• Misrepresentation
  • Cheating
  • Falsification
  • Inaccurate or inappropriate advertising
  • Lying or omission of information
• Practicing on an expired license

Learning objectives

• Comply with standards of practice and codes of ethics
• Improve clinical decision making by minimizing negative influencers
• Adhere to professional ethics with resultant improvements in professional-patient interaction, which can improve clinical outcomes
• Reduce potential transgressions through the development of systems that can be implemented into clinical practice
• Become aware of the early warning signs indicative of ethical dilemmas and boundary problems
• Create an ethics-based Formula© and implement a tiered Personalized Protection Plan to maintain ethical integrity

Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and Professional Boundaries, Inc. The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine designates these live activities each for a maximum of 27 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in activity.