Ethical Issues

1
Ethical Issues

• Private Practice
• Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
• Speech-Language Pathologist
• Accent On Speech, LLC

2
Private Practice
Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology services
on a self-employed basis.

• Demographic Info
• Pathologist Audiologists Speech-Language
• Full-Time 16.9 6.4
• Part-Time 9.5 11.2
• 
  
• 
  
  ASHA Dues Notice 2005

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
3
Common Traits of Private Practitioner

• 1 Self-Esteem
• 2 Need to Achieve
• 3 Screening For Opportunity
• 4 Locus of Control
• 5 Goal Orientation
• 6 Optimism
• 7 Courage
• 8 Tolerance to Ambiguity
• 9 Strong Internal Motivation
• Nine Leadership Characteristics of Successful
  Entrepreneurs
• By Murray Johannsen, 2003

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
4
Traits contd

• Competitive
• Decisive
• Risk Taker
• Own Decisions
• Free Rein-pursue interests
• American Academy of Private Practioners in Speech
  Pathology and Audiology, 2006

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
5
Traits Underlined

• If used to extreme, may create ethical challenges

6
Structure of Practice

• Structure
• Facilitates effective operations
• Lack of Structure
• Impedes effective operations

7
Business Entity-Establish

• Sole Proprietor
• Partnership
• Corporate
• LLC
• Professionals

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
8
Internal Operations

• Systems
• Written Policies, Procedures
• Job Descriptions
• Supervisory relationships
• Customer, Client agreements
• Training
• Ombudsman, EAPs, Legal, Accounting ,etc
• Knowledge of State Laws
• etc
• ______________________________________________
• Structure and general operations basic to
  government and corporate organizations, must
  exist (or be accounted for) on smaller scale for
  the private practitioner in Speech-Language
  Pathology and Audiology. Cathy Runnels,2006

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
9
Potential Vulnerability

• Traits (selective) Structure (loose)
  Profit Environment
• Vulnerable to code violations
• Cathy Runnels, 2006

Natural tension between business and ethics
David Denton, AHSA, 2006
Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
10
Trends - Potential Violations in Practice

• SLP / AUD Owner (Employer) Demand
• Ethics I-Persons Served
• Ethics II-Professional Competence

• Delegation-inappropriate
• Supervision--insufficient
• Support Personnel--improper use

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
11
Trends

• Problematic Relationships may lead to
• Client Abandonment
• Employee leaves unexpectedly
• Employee terminated
• Ethics I-Persons Served
• Ethics
  III-Public Responsibility

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
12
Trends
Ethics I-Persons Served

• Caseload Selection

• Vague Clinic Client Agreement

Ethics I-Persons Served Ethics II-Professional
Competence
Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
13
Trends

• Quotas
• Unsubstantiated Claims
• Poor Human Relations / Communication Skills
• Acceptance of Gifts / Certain Referrals

Ethics I-Persons Served Ethics II Professional
Competence Ethics III-Public Ethics IV
Responsibility to Professions
Ethics III-Public Responsibility
Ethics III-Public Responsibility
Ethics III-Public Responsibility
Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
14
Training Resources

• Ethics Education in work-site--incorporate
• Ethics Consultant--use
• Ethics Kit--obtain
• Ethics Publications--read
• Jaynee Handelsman When Strings Are Attached
• Jan 2006, ASHA Leader On Line
• Ethics Website-ASHA--read
• Nancy Huffman, Employers, Employees, and
  Ethics October 2003, ASHA Leader, Ethics
  Website

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP
15
Considerations

• View as Parameters, guidelines
• Examine Ethical aspect of all programs
• Codes expanding with scope of practice
• Marketing tool
• use Code as tool of assurance to public
• Learn business aspects of SLP/AUD professions
• Join ASHA Boards, Committees
• Provide private perspective

Cathy Runnels, M.S., CCC-SLP