Ethical Issues In Health Care

Abstract

When we think of hospital staff, we often think of physicians, nurses, or other caregivers. These caregivers are only a part of the staff required to manage an efficient hospital. Behind the scenes there is hidden, incredibly important role in health services delivery - healthcare executive administration. Healthcare executives are responsible for providing the most basic of social services, the care of dependent people at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. The goal of a healthcare executive is to make a positive difference in the lives of people and communities.

The environment of healthcare changes rapidly and continuously. It is an environment loaded with government regulations, massive rules, and complex structures.
Healthcare executives are skilled, trained professionals who care about the quality of care patients receive. They team up with physicians, nurses, and other caregivers to provide patient care. Their ultimate goal is to help provide safe, comfortable and compassionate places for people to receive health services when needed. They also ensure that their organizations have strong medical, operational, and financial stability to serve the needs of patients, their families, and the communities. These executives are concerned about the business and financial side of healthcare; but ultimately they are concerned about the health of people in the communities they serve and are often involved in helping to educate their community members and important health issues (Haddock, McLean, and Chapman, 2002,
Shortages in technical and highly specialized staff make efficiency just out of reach and this shortage is increasing due to rapid industry growth and reduced numbers of new graduates. Another distinct challenge faced by healthcare executives of hospitals and health systems is that a key group of stakeholders, the physicians, are often not directly employed by the organization they work for. Physicians are directly responsible for both cost and performance and yet, in most instances, are not actual employees of the health delivery system. This issue becomes even more complex at academic medical institutions, not for profit hospitals and health systems, and freestanding clinics. Employee burnout is staggering. Recruitment and retention of key employees is a daunting task. Maintaining and growing market share is another area of concern. Cost containment has become more than a challenge; in a world were technology is ever changing and very costly, cost management takes enormous skill. Add to this the obligation to care for communities, often with little or no reimbursement for the services provided, and a formula for potential financial disaster has been created. Even given all of these challenges, perhaps the biggest challenge facing healthcare executives is the constant change. More than any other industry, healthcare is perpetual change and healthcare executives must remain flexible to be