Legal and Ethical Conduct at MGH
High standards of ethical and legal conduct along with outstanding clinical practice are a tradition of the MGH. However, in a world of increasingly complex laws and regulations, adhering to our high standards of compliance can be a daunting task. At the Office of Corporate Compliance, we endeavor to support MGH staff in maintaining our excellent reputation by reviewing and strengthening our existing methods of assuring compliance with ethical and legal standards. In addition to our individual responsibilities, we have an overarching obligation to report behavior that we believe is inconsistent with our standards. The MGH has established a written policy for all employees and contractors that explains the role of the Deficit Reduction Act, as it pertains to ethical and legal conduct. As part of this policy, the MGH maintains a Compliance Program that encourages the reporting of ethical and legal concerns, including potential fraud and abuse violations.
Additionally, we are committed to protecting employees who report their concerns in good faith from harassment and retaliation. For example, you might become aware of another employee’s potential conflict of interest or of an incorrect billing practice in your department. In any such case, employees at the MGH have many options for reporting a breach of ethical or legal conduct. You can:
- Speak with your supervisor
- Consult your HR Generalist
- Use the Incident Reporting System
- Submit a confidential written report to Bulfinch 360C through the in - house mail system
- Anonymously contact the Compliance Helpline at 617-726-1446
If your concerns have not been addressed adequately by the methods above, you may bring your concerns to an outside regulatory agency. If you have any questions about your responsibilities as an employee, you can request a copy of our Ethical and Legal Conduct Handbook by calling 617-726-5109.
-From: Compliance Helpline, An interdepartmental newsletter by the Compliance Department of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, Fall 2009.
9/09