CCM Ethical & Legal Issues in Care Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ethical principle requires care managers to act in the best interest of the patient, even when it conflicts with other considerations?
- Autonomy
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
- Justice
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence obligates care managers to actively promote the patient's wellbeing and act for their benefit.
Question 2: A patient refuses a recommended treatment despite the care manager's advice. Which ethical principle supports the patient's right to make this decision?
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy recognizes a competent patient's right to make their own informed healthcare decisions, including the right to refuse treatment.
Question 3: The principle of 'first, do no harm' in care management is associated with which ethical concept?
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence (Correct answer)
- Justice
- Veracity
Correct answer: Non-maleficence
Non-maleficence, derived from the Latin 'primum non nocere,' requires care managers to avoid actions that cause unnecessary harm to patients.
Question 4: Which ethical principle requires care managers to distribute resources fairly and equitably among all patients?
- Autonomy
- Beneficence
- Justice (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Justice
Justice requires that care managers treat patients fairly and allocate resources equitably without discrimination.
Question 5: A care manager discovers a colleague is falsifying patient documentation. According to the CCMC Code of Professional Conduct, the most appropriate action is to:
- Ignore it if patients are not immediately harmed
- Report the misconduct through appropriate channels (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague and take no further action
- Wait to confirm the behavior before acting
Correct answer: Report the misconduct through appropriate channels
The CCMC Code of Professional Conduct requires care managers to report unethical or illegal conduct through proper organizational or regulatory channels.
Question 6: Which document specifically outlines the professional ethical standards for Certified Case Managers?
- The AMA Code of Medical Ethics
- The CCMC Code of Professional Conduct (Correct answer)
- The Joint Commission Standards
- The NASW Code of Ethics
Correct answer: The CCMC Code of Professional Conduct
The Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) Code of Professional Conduct is the governing ethical framework specifically for CCMs.
Question 7: A conflict of interest in case management is BEST described as a situation where:
- A patient disagrees with the care manager's plan
- A care manager's personal or financial interest could compromise professional judgment (Correct answer)
- Two patients require the same limited resource simultaneously
- A care manager works across multiple care settings
Correct answer: A care manager's personal or financial interest could compromise professional judgment
A conflict of interest arises when personal or financial interests could impair a care manager's ability to act objectively in the patient's best interest.
CCM Ethical & Legal Issues in Care Management 1
Which ethical principle requires care managers to act in the best interest of the patient, even when it conflicts with other considerations?