All employees must avoid any conflicts of interest, including financial conflicts of interest. Remember:
- Personal financial interests should not influence your decisions or actions as a hospital/clinic employee.
- Your activities and business interests outside of work should not interfere with your job duties or performance and should not compete with or have a negative impact on the hospital/clinic.
- You should not use hospital resources, supplies or equipment to perform tasks for another entity or business. Hospital/clinic resources are provided to employees to support patient and business needs and should not be used for personal gain or purposes.
Real-world scenario
Q: Can I use the copier to run off the agenda and board packet for my homeowners association meeting?
A: No. No, the work copier should only be used for work purposes, not for your outside activities.
Q: I’m considering investing in a medical-related business. Is this consistent with my employment agreement with the hospital/clinic?
A: It depends on the specific nature of the business and the terms of your agreement. You should consult with hospital/clinic administration or have the agreement and circumstances reviewed by an attorney. If the investment also involved your active participation in the management or operation of the business, you would need to make sure it did not interfere with your duties to the hospital/clinic.
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McAfee &Taft provides this complimentary monthly compliance checkup as a resource for compliance officers and others filling a compliance role — something that can easily be forwarded to employees, with or without modification, for compliance program training. These include a provision similar to a typical compliance program with a typical scenario/question and the resolution/answer.
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