Code of Ethics for Health Care Compliance Professionals

Health care compliance programs are ultimately judged by how they affect, directly or indirectly, the delivery of health care to the patients, residents, and clients served by the health care industry and, thus, by how they contribute to the well-being of the communities we serve. Those served by the health care industry are particularly vulnerable, and therefore health care compliance professionals (HCCPs) understand that the services we provide require the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and competence. The following Code of Ethics expresses the profession’s recognition of its responsibilities to the general public, to employers and clients, and to the legacy of the profession. The Code of Ethics consists of two kinds of standards: Principles and Rules of Conduct. The Principles are broad standards of an aspirational and inspirational nature, and as such, express ideals of exemplary professional conduct. The Rules of Conduct are specific standards that prescribe the minimum level of conduct expected of each HCCP. Compliance with the Code is a function both of the individual professional and of the professional community. It depends primarily on the HCCP’s own understanding and voluntary actions, and secondarily, on reinforcement by peers and the general public.