AHIMA Professional Code of Ethics

The “American Health Information Management Association or AHIMA” for short has several reasons for developing a Code of Ethics (American.., 2004). This started from the premise that the “Health Information Management” has the commitment and responsibility of displaying acts which mirror “values, ethical principles, as well as, ethical guidelines” (American.., 2004).

The Code of Ethics created by the “American Health Information Management Association” carries out or implements the aforementioned values and ethical principles to direct or motivate the proper behavior (American.., 2004).

The Code of Ethics prepared by the “American Health Information Management Association” is essential and applicable to all the members of the aforementioned, as well as, those “Health Information Management” professionals and students who were given such credentials whatever tasks & functions they are assigned to; no matter where the location they’re at; and whatsoever race they serve (American.., 2004).
Explaining further, the “American Health Information Management Association” has six specific reasons for developing the aforementioned Code of Ethics and these are the following:
First of all, it categorizes the morals on which the “Health Information Management” is founded upon (American.., 2004).
Second, it goes over the main points of the extensive moral principles that mirror the profession’s core ideals, as well as, institute a collection of decent philosophies to be utilized as a guiding light in coming up with decisions and actions called for by the occurrence of critical situations (American.., 2004).
Third, it lends a hand to “Health Information Management” professional pinpoint essential deliberations or reflections in instances where responsibilities conflict or when hesitations based on ethics comes up (American.., 2004).
Fourth, it serves as a set of rules for the “Health Information Management” professional to be held responsible if it’s called for by the people or the public (American.., 2004).
Fifth, it plays the role of getting together practitioners who are not familiar to the “mission, values, as well as, ethical principles” of the “Health Information Management” (American.., 2004).
Last but not least, it is for the purpose of the “Health Information Management” professional to personally evaluate himself or herself in a situation wherein, he or she feels that he may have engaged in an immoral or dishonorable act (American.., 2004).
Importance of Adhering to Professional Code of Ethics
It is very important to adhere to the Code of Ethics. Allow me reiterate further on its importance by specifically stating the reasons for it:
Without a Code of Ethics, they will not be able to know their responsibilities (American.., 2004).  Of course, if members are not familiar with it:
1) they will not have the capacity to uphold the aforementioned principles stated in the Code of Ethics;
2) they will not be able to remember to carry out any good conduct stipulated in the Code of Ethics;
3) they will not be able to maintain a healthy competition within the organization;
4) they will not be able to get rid of the possible occurrence of exploitation of professional relationships;
5) they cannot “further the interests of their profession”;
6) they will not be able to respect and trust their co-professionals;
7) most likely, they will not be able to improve or develop the pride and distinction of the profession through encouraging individual acts;
8) they will not have any reason of abstaining from engaging in activities that may disgrace or degrade the integrity of their co-professional or the profession itself;
9) they may not avoid using their profession or membership to a certain group to advance or support products and services that do not have anything to do with their profession;
10) they will have a reason not to be truthful to their professional communications that may consequently lead to undesirable and irrational effects; 11) and so on and so forth (American.., 2004).
In addition to that, with the absence of a Code of Ethics, professional members would have more reason to act in a manner that is unacceptable, dishonorable or moral (American.., 2004).
This is because they would think that no Ethics Committee will punish them for it anyway (American.., 2004). They will have the courage to do whatever they want since nobody will be there to file a complaint against them, nobody will assess if the complaint is valid or not, nobody will recommend censure, probation, suspension, and especially suspension (American.., 2004).