Table 3

 Professional obligations towards patients, as addressed in ethics policies. Whether and how three different types of organisations mention some core professional obligations towards patients in their written ethics policies and statements

TopicOrganisational type
Physician professional associations (N = 18) n (%)Physician group practices (N = 9) n (%)Managed care plans (N = 12) n (%)
*Difference significant at p<0.1 compared to physician professional associations, by two-tailed χ2 test.
**Difference significant at p<0.05 compared to physician professional associations, by two-tailed χ2 test.
Beneficence (any mention):16 (89)2 (22)**1 (8)**
    General mention4 (22)0 (0)0 (0)*
    Providers towards patients13 (72)1 (11)**0 (0)**
    Providers toward population5 (28)1 (11)0 (0)**
    Health plan toward populations0 (0)0 (0)1 (8)
    Health plan toward employees0 (0)1 (11)0 (0)
    Obligation to place the wellbeing of patients above self interest7 (39)0 (0)**0 (0)**
Non-maleficence (any mention):9 (50)0 (0)**0 (0)**
    General mention3 (17)0 (0)0 (0)
    Toward patients4 (22)0 (0)0 (0)*
    Toward trainees2 (11)0 (0)0 (0)
    Professional responsibility to refrain from harming patients4 (22)0 (0)0 (0)*
Fiduciary obligations/relationships (any mention):15 (83)6 (67)10 (83)
    General mention1 (6)0 (0)0 (0)
    Compensation/financial incentives9 (50)2 (22)3 (25)
    Provider to patient3 (17)1 (11)1 (8)
    Provider to covered population1 (6)0 (0)0 (0)
    Health plan to enrolees/members0 (0)1 (11)1 (8)
    Financial incentives: disclosure to public2 (11)0 (0)0 (0)
    Financial incentives: disclosure to patients8 (44)0 (0)**2 (17)*
    Financial incentives: as a threat to fiduciary duties2 (11)1 (11)3 (25)
    Honesty/truth telling/veracity11 (61)5 (56)2 (17)**
    Termination of provider/patient relationship6 (33)1 (11)1 (8)*
    Trust6 (33)0 (0)*3 (25)
    Organisational responsibility: to balance fiduciary obligations to enrolees in health plans with obligations to stock holders0 (0)0 (0)2 (17)*
Advocacy (any mention):12 (67)1 (11)**3 (25)**
    General mention4 (22)0 (0)1 (8)
    Provider for patients10 (56)1 (11)*0 (0)**
    Provider for covered populations2 (11)0 (0)0 (0)