Code of Ethics for Health care

these are just a part of the new draft prepared by IMA &NATHEALTH.

Healthcare Institutions: In addition to the General Principles set out above, Healthcare Institutions should also comply and should encourage their directors, employees, agents, dealers and distributors, contractors, consultants, vendors and suppliers as the case may be comply with the following Specific Principles, as may be applicable:

• (i)                 encourage the practice of medicine with honesty, integrity, and accountability;

• (ii)               balance the human and patient-centred values of the health profession with the very real and practical demands of the business aspects of healthcare delivery;

• (iii)             consider the well-being and interest of the patient first;

• (iv)              treat patients with utmost compassion, respect and to the best of  their abilities;

• (v)                respect the patient’s right to choose their doctor freely, to accept or reject advice and to make their own decisions about treatment or procedures;

• (vi)              to protect the patient’s right to give informed consent and to ensure patients are provided with adequate, sufficient and relevant information about the potential outcome of the consequences of their care prior to their giving consent;

• (vii)            continue lifelong self-education to improve the standard of medical care;

• (viii)          should ensure that paramedical services such as, pharmacy and nursing adhere to the principles of duty of care and ensure the well-being of the patient by applying the highest principles of ethical practices;

• (ix)              build a comprehensive system for handling and disposal of hazardous and bio medical waste;

• (x)                maintain accurate contemporaneous clinical records;

• (xi)              ensure that selection of doctors and other health professionals is unbiased, based purely on merit and there is a consistent effort to review the performance of such health professionals with the aim of maintaining the standard of care to patients;

• (xii)            ensure that doctors and other health professionals have the necessary qualifications and continue to do so;

• (xiii)          not discriminate against and refrain from treating a patient without good cause;

• (xiv)          maintain strict confidentiality as regards information pertaining to a patient and ensure security of storage, access and utilization of such patient information;

• (xv)            upon request by a patient, make available to another doctor a report of the findings and treatment;

• (xvi)          recognize that in case of clinical trials, considerations relating to the well-being of individual participants in research take precedence over the interests of science or society;

• (xvii)        ensure that all research participants or their agents are fully informed and have consented to participate in a clinical study and refrain from using coercion or unconscionable inducements as a means of obtaining consent;

• (xviii)      with respect to clinical trials, respect the participant's right to withdraw from a study at any time without prejudice to medical treatment;

• (xix)          be cognizant that a patient's decision not to participate in a clinical study should not compromise the doctor-patient relationship or appropriate treatment and care;

• (xx)            recognize a patient’s applicable rights and extend physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual support for the patient, the family and other care givers when they need to exercise such rights;

• (xxi)          remember the obligation to preserve life; but, where death is deemed to be imminent, try to ensure that death occurs with dignity and comfort;

• (xxii)        refrain from practicing euthanasia, which shall constitute unethical conduct and be in violation of applicable Law(s);

• (xxiii)      in case where a patient is declared brain  dead, the medical institution/hospital shall follow the, law, rules and regulations pertaining to organ transplant, offering the relations of such a patient an option to donate his organs;

• (xxiv)       refrain from using coercion when obtaining consent to any or all organ donations;

• (xxv)         inform a donor and his family fully of the proposal to transplant organs, the purpose and the risks of the procedure and exercise sensitivity and compassion while discussing the option to donate organs;

• (xxvi)       will not differentiate between poor and rich patient as far as medicals services are concerned

• (xxvii)     when referring a patient, make available to their colleague, with the patient’s knowledge and consent, all relevant information and indicate whether or not they are to assume the continuing care of the patient during their illness;

• (xxviii)   inform and guide patients towards making informed health choices for individuals and society (e.g. lifestyle changes, voluntary blood donation, etc.);

• (xxix)       educate and guide their staff in the safe handling and disposal of all wastes in line with health and safety and infection control requirements;

• (xxx)         make available treatment records of patients to Health Insurers with whom the patient has privity of contract;

• (xxxi)       ensure that patients covered under health insurance are not discriminated on pricing or procedure being advised; and

• (xxxii)     follow the Law(s) relating to any cuts and commissions (fee splitting).