Mount Carmel's PR Ethical Nightmare

bs014317@ohio.edu
Brenda Stepp


For those who are not from Central Ohio or have been living under a rock for the last six months, Mount Carmel Health Systems, a large hospital system in Columbus, Ohio, have experienced a series of PR nightmares.  The first began in November, 2018 when it came to light that a critical care specialist at Mount Carmel West Hospital in Columbus, Dr. William Husel, was fired and escorted out of Mount Carmel West, after allegedly ordering large doses of pain medication that ultimately caused the death of twenty-five patients entrusted to his care.

Kantele Franko, AP (Photo Credit)

As an employee of Mount Carmel, we see press releases when they are released to the media.  We were told that there were several nurses and pharmacists that were suspended when this first came to light. This, of course, begs the question.  How much did Mount Carmel know and who is ultimately responsible?

As the months went on, that question remains in my mind.  These patients were injected with hundreds of times the amount of medication.  This was ordered by the physician, released by the pharmacist and given by a nurse.  These professionals had to have known these were no where near safe dosages of medication, correct?

We have always been taught that the physician is the ultimate decision maker.  We were not to question the physician.  To be fair, this attitude did not only exist at Mount Carmel but at all hospitals, care centers and doctor offices.   Physicians are trusted to make the correct call.  The only people that generally question a physician is another physician.

In order to combat this problem with the Mount Carmel System, a class was put in place that all employees must attend, regardless of position within the company.  The class is called "Zero Harm".  This program was developed to foster an environment of cooperation and empower any employee within the system to question an order or voice an opinion of a plan of treatment.  So far, this seems to be improving the system within Mount Carmel.

The problem still remains...how does Mount Carmel regain its image in the public perspective?  We must be completely open about what is happening and keep the public up to date.  We must be fully transparent, no matter the perception of the information presented.  We have an ethical responsibility to release truthful information as soon as it is available.  We must not try to hide our dirty laundry but lay it all out in the open.  Will Mount Carmel lose patients?  Yes.  We already have.  In order to remain in business in this community be must be open and forthright if we have any hope of regaining our status in this community.

The media has been brutal.  Employees were followed to their cars and the media did their very best to track down the names of those suspended.  While it is ethical to report what is happening to the public, that line, in my opinion, is crossed when the press is hounding someone who has not yet, and will not be, charged with a crime.

Now, we also have the matter of the Legionnaires Disease at Mount Carmel Grove City.  Mount Carmel West closed its doors in late April.  Its replacement?  Mount Carmel Grove City.  Let's see if Zero Harm is working like it was intended.