BC ADM Professional Ethics & Conduct 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BC-ADM suspects a supervising endocrinologist is impaired by substance use during clinic hours. The most appropriate action is to:
- Say nothing to avoid professional retaliation
- Immediately post concerns on social media to protect the public
- Report concerns through the appropriate institutional channels or state physician health program (Correct answer)
- Confront the physician loudly in front of patients
Correct answer: Report concerns through the appropriate institutional channels or state physician health program
Reporting through institutional channels or a physician health program addresses patient safety while following due process and confidentiality obligations.
Question 2: Which behavior by a BC-ADM exemplifies the ethical concept of veracity?
- Downplaying a medication's side effects to improve adherence
- Informing a patient honestly about the limitations of a new CGM technology (Correct answer)
- Withholding a poor A1C result to avoid upsetting the patient
- Documenting a better outcome than was achieved to reassure the care team
Correct answer: Informing a patient honestly about the limitations of a new CGM technology
Veracity requires truthful communication with patients, including honest disclosure of technology limitations, even when the truth may be disappointing.
Question 3: A BC-ADM in private practice wants to terminate care of a patient who is repeatedly abusive to staff. To avoid patient abandonment, the clinician must:
- Terminate immediately without notice if abuse occurs once
- Provide adequate written notice and referral resources to ensure continuity of care (Correct answer)
- Transfer care only if another provider agrees in advance
- Wait until the patient's next annual visit to inform them
Correct answer: Provide adequate written notice and referral resources to ensure continuity of care
Terminating a patient relationship requires adequate written notice and assistance in finding alternative care to prevent patient abandonment.
Question 4: A BC-ADM is preparing a CE presentation and wants to use de-identified patient case studies. Which step is required to use this material ethically?
- Obtain the patient's written authorization or ensure complete de-identification per HIPAA Safe Harbor (Correct answer)
- Simply change the patient's first name
- Use the case only if it is more than 5 years old
- Get verbal permission from the attending physician
Correct answer: Obtain the patient's written authorization or ensure complete de-identification per HIPAA Safe Harbor
HIPAA requires either full de-identification per Safe Harbor standards or written patient authorization before using case material in presentations.
Question 5: A BC-ADM is asked by a managed care organization to recommend a less effective but cheaper diabetes therapy to reduce plan costs. What ethical principle is most threatened?
- Fidelity — loyalty to the patient's best interests (Correct answer)
- Veracity — being truthful
- Confidentiality — protecting patient information
- Autonomy — patient self-determination
Correct answer: Fidelity — loyalty to the patient's best interests
Fidelity requires the clinician to remain loyal to the patient's best interests, which is threatened when financial incentives pressure clinicians toward inferior treatments.
Question 6: A BC-ADM receives a gift card from a grateful patient after a successful education program. According to most professional ethics guidelines, the clinician should:
- Accept any gift under $25 as a token of appreciation
- Accept all gifts to avoid insulting the patient
- Decline graciously and explain the professional boundary policy (Correct answer)
- Accept and donate it to charity without telling the patient
Correct answer: Decline graciously and explain the professional boundary policy
Most professional ethics guidelines recommend declining patient gifts to maintain professional boundaries, even when the intent is purely appreciative.
Question 7: Which scenario represents an appropriate use of professional social media by a BC-ADM?
- Posting identifiable patient success stories to promote the clinic
- Sharing peer-reviewed diabetes research with attribution on a professional LinkedIn profile (Correct answer)
- Commenting on a former patient's public health posts
- Responding to patient messages through a personal Facebook account
Correct answer: Sharing peer-reviewed diabetes research with attribution on a professional LinkedIn profile
Sharing peer-reviewed research on a professional platform promotes evidence-based practice without compromising patient privacy or professional boundaries.
BC ADM Professional Ethics & Conduct 5
A BC-ADM suspects a supervising endocrinologist is impaired by substance use during clinic hours.
The most appropriate action is to: