Current Ethical Issues in Business

Current Ethical Issue in Business

Tabitha Ballou, Sasha Jaramillo, Samantha Medlock, Tiffany Strange, Theresa Tso

PHL/323- Ethics in Management

May 28, 2012

Robert Deemer

Introduction

Healthcare organizations are faced with the ethical issues and challenges that any other business around the world typically would be confronted with. These ethical challenges involve competitive demands, bottom-line demands, and non-healthcare organizational and social goals. The very cultivation of the healthcare organization has a significant importance on the quality and nature of accommodations that are made by its management and staff. Regardless of the type of institution, each healthcare organization operates as a business. Different healthcare organizations typically are faced with specific issues. Different healthcare organizations are hospitals, pharmacies, private practices, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical and medical equipment manufacturers (Raven, 2002). A good standing of strong ethical values is imperative within any organization. Unlike some organizations, however, when ethics are violated within the realm of healthcare organizations, it affects more than the organization and its employees. Family, loved ones, and the state board, and others can be greatly impacted by unethical decisions of a healthcare organization. In this particular case involving healthcare ethics, social services family, former Governor Mitt Romney, and the community were involved.

The Basis

The article by Pam Belluck entitled Custody and Abuse Cases Swirl around a Troubled Girl on Life Support covers eleven-year-old Haleigh Poutre who was taken to the hospital three months prior to the article being published. Young Haleigh was admitted with numerous injuries. Haleigh had broken teeth, a sunken abdomen, a swollen face, and cuts and sores over her body. She was malnourished, underweight, and her body temperature was a very low 81 degrees.

Haleigh’s Aunt Holli A. Strickland and Uncle Jason D. Strickland were reported by police to accountable for the abuse that resulted in these life-threatening injuries. A murder-suicide involving Holli and her grandmother took place the day after Holli was released from jail on bail. This left Mr. Strickland to be charged with the criminal offenses against Haleigh alone.

        The Massachusetts Department of Social Services (MDSS) gained legal custody of Haleigh. Social services fought to end Haleigh’s long suffering by removing her life support. The request was granted by a Juvenile Court judge subsequent a hearing. Jason Strickland, however, did not want Haleigh’s life support removed. The courts refused to listen to Jason Strickland’s request not to remove Haleigh from life support because although he married her aunt a short time before the adoption, Jason Strickland never legally adopted Haleigh. Speculation floated around that Mr. Strickland’s only interest in keeping Haleigh alive was to prevent a murder charge, which he would be charged with if she died. John Egan, Jason’s lawyer, disputed those suspensions.

        Testimony and documentation has indicated self-inflicting harm from Haleigh over a two-year period in which she was hospitalized. Testimonies from baby sitters declared that Haleigh often hoarded food. This ignited rage and lead to the Strickland’s hitting Haleigh. Claims were also made in court by eye-witness testimonies that Holli Strickland kicked Poutre down the family’s cellar stairs three consecutive times. From a previous marriage, Holli Strickland had a nine-year-old daughter. She also had a two-year-old son with Jason Strickland.

Ethical Change, Deficiency, or Conflict

Some of the ethical conflicts revolve around the custody issues. Haleigh was adopted by Ms. Strickland but not Mr. Strickland. The biological mother had not been in contact constantly with the Haleigh. Because Haleigh is in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Social Services there is ethical conflict of if anyone other than the state’s decision should be considered when deciding her fate to be disconnected from life support or not. Legally, because the state is the only one with custody it has the right to make the decision. Ethically there is conflict on if Mr. Strickland who acted as a father but also charged with her abuse, has his wishes for continued life support considered.  The conflict arises not only because he has no legal rights but also because there is concern that his wished for continued life support may be more personal than for her best interest and beliefs.  Mr. Strickland could be charged with murder if she dies.  With that knowledge the ethical dilemma is more challenging and can be considered entitlement ethics.  This is because Mr. Strickland may have his best interest as the primary concern instead of Haleigh’s.   Mr. Strickland has a layer and is petitioning the decision of the Massachusetts Department of State.