ABSTRACT
In this applied chapter and the next, the analysis deals with patient-related issues for governance ethics in healthcare organizations. Here, the ethics paradigm is applied to discuss board oversight of patient care quality. First, the foundation component of the ethics paradigm deals with the identity of an organization, reflecting the leitmotif who we are. This component highlights board transparency as a hallmark of governance ethics for patient care quality. In turn, this hallmark denotes an associated moral imperative of board oversight of the development of trust to support patient care quality. Second, the process component of the ethics paradigm addresses the accountability of the organization, reflecting the leitmotif how we function. This component highlights board responsiveness as a hallmark of governance ethics. In turn, this hallmark denotes an associated moral imperative of board oversight of factors contributing to support patient care quality. Third, the practice component of the ethics paradigm engages quality in an organization, reflecting the leitmotif what we do. This component highlights board oversight of mechanisms for patient care quality as a hallmark of governance ethics. In turn, this hallmark denotes an associated moral imperative of board oversight of the social contract for patient care quality.
