Create A Possible Ethical Dilemma Relating To Your Chosen Fi

Create A Possible Ethical Dilemma Relating To Your Chosen Field For E

Create a possible ethical dilemma relating to your chosen field. For example: You are a Medical Assistant and your supervising physician consistently asks you to perform procedures that you are not trained for. Or, you are a Medical Biller and your supervisor has asked you to overbill certain procedures because the clinic that you work for is in financial trouble. Using the 7 Step Decision Making Model, apply the facts of your dilemma. Submit your completed assignment to the drop box below.

Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates. Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. (Mac users, please remember to append the ".docx" extension to the filename.) The name of the file should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and an underscore and the date. An example is shown below:

Paper For Above instruction

The ethical dilemma I have chosen pertains to the field of medical billing, specifically involving the ethical responsibilities of accurate documentation and billing practices. In this scenario, I am a medical biller working in a healthcare clinic experiencing financial difficulties. The supervisor has approached me with a request to intentionally overbill certain procedures to increase revenue and help the clinic's financial situation. While the supervisor insists that this practice is necessary to keep the clinic operational, it raises significant ethical concerns regarding honesty, integrity, and compliance with healthcare laws and regulations.

Applying the 7 Step Decision Making Model to this dilemma provides a structured framework for analyzing and resolving the situation ethically. The first step involves identifying the problem clearly: the conflict between the financial survival of the clinic and the ethical obligation to ensure truthful and accurate billing. The second step requires gathering relevant facts, such as the legal implications of fraudulent billing, the clinic’s financial status, and the potential consequences for myself if I refuse or comply with the request.

The third step involves identifying the stakeholders affected by this decision, including patients, healthcare providers, the clinic staff, legal authorities, and myself. Each stakeholder has different levels of influence and risk, with patients relying on truthful billing for accurate medical records and legal compliance. The fourth step evaluates the moral principles involved, such as honesty, integrity, accountability, and adherence to laws like the False Claims Act, which prohibits fraudulent healthcare billing.

In the fifth step, I generate possible courses of action. These include refusing to overbill and explaining the legal and ethical risks involved, reporting the request to higher authorities or compliance offices, or attempting to find alternative ways to improve the clinic’s finances without violating laws. The sixth step involves weighing the consequences of each option. Refusing to overbill maintains professional integrity and avoids legal repercussions, but may threaten the clinic’s financial stability. Reporting the issue promotes transparency but could result in conflict or retaliation. Finding legal and ethical solutions aims to balance financial needs with lawful practices.

Finally, the seventh step requires making a decision based on ethical principles and stakeholder impact, and implementing it responsibly. In this case, the best decision is to refuse the overbilling request, educate the supervisor about the legal risks, and report the issue to appropriate compliance authorities. This approach upholds integrity, aligns with legal standards, and protects my professional reputation. Handling the dilemma with transparency and ethical clarity ensures adherence to professional standards and promotes trust within the healthcare environment.

References

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• Office of Inspector General. (2022). False Claims Act. U.S. Department of Justice.
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