Sneha is a Senior Manager working for a big reputed hospital chain in a mid-sized city. She has been made in-charge of the new super speciality center that the hospital is building with state-of-the-art equipment and world class medical facilities. The building has been reconstructed and she is starting the process of procurement for various equipment and machines. As the head of the committee responsible for procurement, she has invited bids from all the interested reputed vendors dealing in medical equipment. She notices that her brother, who is a well-known supplier in this domain, has also sent his expression of interest. Since the hospital is privately owned, it is not mandatory for her to select only the lower bidder. Also, she is aware that her brother’s company has been facing some financial difficulties and a big supply order will help him recover. At the same time, allocating the contract to her brother might bring charges of favouritism against her and tarnish her image. The hospital management trusts her fully and would support any decision of hers. (250 words)
(a) What should be Sneha’s course of action?
- Ensure a Transparent and Impartial Process: Sneha should disclose the fact that her brother’s company is a bidder to the hospital management and procurement committee to maintain transparency.
- Recuse Herself from Decision-Making: Considering the potential conflict of interest, she should step aside from the procurement decision involving her brother’s bid to avoid any perception of bias or favoritism.
- Evaluate All Bids Fairly: Ensure that the procurement committee evaluates all bids strictly on merit, quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, adhering to the hospital’s standards for equipment procurement.
- Involve Independent Auditors: Engage independent auditors or external experts to evaluate the bids to enhance transparency and maintain the integrity of the process.
(b) How would she justify what she chooses to do?
- Maintaining Ethical Integrity: By recusing herself, Sneha ensures that the procurement process is unbiased, demonstrating her commitment to ethical standards and professionalism.
- Upholding Trust and Transparency: Disclosing the conflict of interest to the management reinforces trust and showcases her dedication to transparency, safeguarding her reputation.
- Protecting the Hospital’s Interests: Ensuring a fair and merit-based selection process prioritizes the hospital’s interests, leading to the procurement of high-quality equipment for the super-speciality center.
(c) In this case, how is medical ethics compromised with vested personal interest?
- Conflict of Interest: If Sneha favors her brother’s company without due diligence, it undermines the principles of fairness and integrity, which are central to medical ethics.
- Compromising Quality and Patient Care: Allocating the contract based on personal interest rather than merit could lead to substandard equipment, risking patient safety and compromising the hospital’s commitment to providing world-class medical care.
- Damage to Professional Credibility: Favoritism would not only tarnish Sneha’s image but also erode the hospital’s reputation, affecting the trust of patients and stakeholders.
- Violation of Accountability: Medical ethics demand accountability in all actions. Personal gains taking precedence over organizational interests would result in a breach of ethical responsibilities.
