The main objective of health care is to give patients added value in the form of improved health (Government.se, 2014). This necessitates smooth and efficient running of health care businesses to the advantage of the patients. Unlike other businesses where maximization of profits is the main agenda, businesses providing health care services put the well-being of their patients before any other objective.
In our case, I believe there is a problem as our hospital needs to serve the needs of its patients by providing them with the new stents whereas the offer presented by Pharma Inc to purchase the stents together with their brand artificial knees may lead to huge wastages which will eventually translate to losses for the hospital. As the Purchasing Director, I will consider all the angles of the deal and weigh out the options before I can make a purchase order.
Morrison (2006) recognized influences that impact administrator’s ethics in decision making. In our case, the factors that will need to be considered include the health benefits that our patients will gain from the use of the new stents, the effect of adding more artificial knees to the orthopedic unit and the implications this purchase deal will have on the finances of the hospital. It is clear that the new stents provide better health to the patients and it is more beneficial to them than regular intake of blood thinners. Although adding more artificial knees can be seen as wastage of funds for the hospital, the artificial knees can be put aside for future use. This way, we purchase the new stents and Pharma Inc keeps their deal.
Having assessed the main issues concerned with this operation, I would accept the deal presented by Pharma Inc as it promises better health for our patients which is our number one priority.
References
Government.se. (2014). Objectives and priorities for health and medical care. Retrieved from: http://www.government.se/sb/d/15472/a/184692
Morrison, E. E. (2006). Ethics in health administration. Sudbury, Mass. [u.a.]: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
