Imagine that you are the vice president of operations overseeing the inpatient pharmacy in a large academic medical center. You have several vendors for which you have historically permitted hospital sponsored access to pharmacists and physicians. Many of your pharmacists and providers have friendly relationships with physicians throughout the hospital.
Today, your pharmacy manager informed you that one vendor approached her with free tickets to an upcoming professional baseball game. In return, he asks that she convince you to change the vendor schedule to provide him a more convenient day and time for him to present to physicians and pharmacists.
How would you approach this situation and what specifically would you do? Are there legal implications present, such as with the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PPSA)? This federal act requires disclosure of any reimbursement or items of value received by clinicians or their employer from a vendor. Demonstrate consideration for both the ethical and legal in decision-making.
Length: 1-2 pages, not including reference page
References: Include a minimum of 2 scholarly
As the Vice President of Operations overseeing the inpatient pharmacy in a large academic medical center, it is my responsibility to ensure that all vendor interactions comply with legal and ethical standards. The situation where a vendor offers free baseball game tickets to convince the pharmacy manager to change the vendor schedule requires careful consideration.
Firstly, I would inform the pharmacy manager that accepting gifts from vendors is not allowed as it could potentially influence their decision-making and compromise the integrity of the procurement process. I would emphasize that the hospital’s policies and procedures prohibit any form of bribery or kickbacks, including gifts of any value.
Secondly, I would review the vendor schedule and evaluate if the proposed change would be beneficial to the hospital. If the change is justified, I would request the vendor to submit a formal request in writing, which would be reviewed and evaluated by the procurement department.
Thirdly, I would ensure that all vendor interactions are documented and transparent, in compliance with the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PPSA). The PPSA requires healthcare providers to disclose any payments or items of value received from vendors. It is important to ensure that the hospital’s interactions with vendors are compliant with the PPSA to avoid any legal implications.
Furthermore, I would educate the pharmacy staff on the importance of maintaining ethical standards in vendor interactions. I would emphasize the importance of transparency, objectivity, and fair competition in the procurement process. It is important to ensure that vendors are evaluated based on their ability to provide quality products and services at a competitive price, rather than their ability to offer gifts or favors.
In conclusion, the situation where a vendor offers free baseball game tickets to change the vendor schedule requires careful consideration. As the Vice President of Operations, it is my responsibility to ensure that all vendor interactions comply with legal and ethical standards. I would inform the pharmacy manager that accepting gifts from vendors is not allowed, review the vendor schedule, ensure compliance with the PPSA, and educate the pharmacy staff on ethical standards in vendor interactions. It is important to maintain transparency, objectivity, and fair competition in the procurement process to ensure the hospital receives quality products and services at a competitive price.
References:
- Halpern, S. D., & Emanuel, E. J. (2014). Ethical and legal implications of the physician payments sunshine act. Jama, 311(16), 1651-1652.
- Miller, F. G., Pearson, S. D., & Wilenzick, M. (2014). The physician payments sunshine act: implications and impact. Annals of internal medicine, 161(11), 831-833.