Integrity at UMC

1. LEADING PRINCIPLES

Integrity is a prerequisite for our mission

Care, research, and education are the three pillars of UMC Utrecht. In our continuous pursuit to improve human health, they are inseparably linked. UMC Utrecht’s mission is to create and test knowledge about health, illness, and care, to share and apply it. This is for the society in general and the patient in particular. Integrity is a prerequisite for realizing this mission.

Patients often find themselves in a vulnerable and dependent position and must be able to trust our individual integrity and the integrity of UMC Utrecht as a whole. Students, staff, and the society around us must also be able to rely on this.

Four principles for integer behaviour from our core values

The mission of UMC Utrecht is our starting point, our raison d’être. In our vision and core values, we have formulated our ambition, what we aim to achieve, and what we find important.

Our core values

We are committed and driven

We see what is needed and do everything possible for patients, visitors, students, and colleagues. We bring out the best in ourselves and others.

We innovate and are always learning

We are constantly looking for new ways, pushing our boundaries, and desiring improvement. We learn from patients, colleagues, and students. Being open and able to give and receive criticism, we find essential.

We collaborate and take responsibility

We work together for and with the patient: as a team within the department, within UMC Utrecht, and beyond. We subordinate individual ambition to the common goal. We are personally responsible for the collective result and accountable for our part in it. We work professionally, with integrity, and carefully, and are honest and clear.

Our core values alone are no guarantee of integer behaviour. Integrity is about upholding specific principles. Together, based on our core values, we have chosen the following four principles for integer behaviour within UMC Utrecht.

We are:

Honest We speak the truth, without being blunt or rigid. By being transparent and giving constructive feedback, we bring out the best in each other and continue to learn. Tactful communication is an essential part of this principle.
Reliable Good cooperation is only possible if others can trust that we keep promises, agreements, rules, and procedures. If this is not possible once, we communicate carefully with those involved. We take responsibility for our choices and can explain our actions.
Engaged We feel connected to UMC Utrecht and each other. We invest in each other for the patient. Because we work towards a common goal, we look beyond our individual tasks. We strive to achieve the goals the organisation pursues.
Independent Professionalism and integrity mean that we stand by our core values and principles. Even when under pressure or confronted with others who exert power or influence, the core values and principles remain guiding for our actions.

Integrity is best safeguarded when we and others keep a sharp eye on these principles. We know that integrity plays an important role in several aspects of our work. These aspects are described in this code based on the mentioned principles for integer behaviour. This code of conduct is intended to help us determine what integer behaviour is, where we must always think for ourselves (and together) based on the principles. This code is divided into the following situations:

I. dealing with our patients

II. dealing with each other

III. dealing with our students and employees in training

IV. dealing with external parties

V. dealing with resources and information

Integrity dilemmas and violations are discussed

It is important to realise that not everything can be captured in this code of conduct and the existing regulations, procedures, and policies. There will always be grey areas that bring dilemmas when it comes to deciding what the right thing to do is. We may also observe behaviour that we consider undesirable or a violation of integrity. In cases of integrity dilemmas or violations, we follow these steps:

We address colleagues if we observe undesirable behaviour or discuss doubts with colleagues if we are facing a dilemma ourselves.
If the first step does not have the desired effect or if we do not feel comfortable enough, we contact our supervisor (and, if necessary, the next supervisor(s) in the hierarchy).
If the previous steps are not possible or do not yield the desired result, we contact colleagues who have a supporting or advisory role. For example, the confidential counsellor or ombudsman.

The code applies to everyone and is mandatory

This code applies to everyone: all persons (employees, managers, and the board of directors) and parties performing work for UMC Utrecht. This code of conduct is not optional. UMC Utrecht expects every person and involved party to adhere to this code. Violation of the code may be interpreted as misconduct.

The code of conduct should be read in conjunction with our mission, vision, core values, strategy, and UMC regulations and UMC policy.

2. CODE OF CONDUCT

We always and everywhere adhere to the applicable laws and regulations as well as our own rules and procedures. Below, the key aspects are detailed in terms of what our four principles of integer behaviour entail.

I. Interaction with patients

Honest We engage openly with patients about possible treatments, being comprehensive about the pros and cons of all options and potential risks.When something unexpectedly goes wrong in care, we engage in honest discussions with our patients and their families.Honesty also means adequately informing patients about potential costs of treatments and only billing for care that has actually been delivered.With patients and non-patients, we discuss participation in research in a careful and understandable manner. We adhere to all rules and procedures when conducting human-subject research.
Reliable We care for our patients in the best possible way, tailored to their personal wishes and possibilities. Their interests are paramount in our provision of care, education, and research.We respect the privacy of our patients. This means not discussing patients outside the context of our roles and not in public spaces. We handle patient records according to established procedures.When we make mistakes, we do everything possible to rectify them and prevent them in the future.
Engaged We seek to connect with our patients, their families, and visitors, treating them with respect and being service-oriented and hospitable.We ensure a safe environment for our patients by adhering to safety regulations and procedures. We report/discuss potential unsafe situations immediately.In difficult situations, we empathise with the patient and their relatives and consider this in how we engage with them.

II. Interaction with each other

Honest We expect honesty from others; therefore, we are open and value receiving constructive feedback. As we are honest ourselves, we provide constructive feedback.We promote diversity and treat everyone equally when suitable for a role or job, regardless of ethnic background, religion, gender, sexual preferences, or age.We discuss (suspected) irregularities or wrongdoings honestly with the involved parties or designated individuals or committees within the organisation.

Engaged We feel engaged with one another and treat each other with respect:

We protect each other from undesirable behaviours such as (sexual) harassment, aggression, violence, and discrimination;
- We consider each other and each other’s vulnerabilities;
- We communicate with each other rather than about each other.

Our engagement with each other is expressed by showing appreciation when a colleague makes a positive impression.We are committed to the proper functioning of UMC Utrecht and feel responsible for preventing undesirable situations and continuously improving the quality we deliver.

Reliable We ensure a safe working environment for one another, adhering to the applicable rules and procedures. We take care of each other’s physical and mental health by being alert to signs.

Independent Being independent means that we constructively address each other, regardless of the hierarchical position of those involved.

III. Interaction with students and trainees

In addition to the interaction norms described under ‘interaction with each other,’ the following standards apply when interacting with students:

Honest Students and trainees receive a fair evaluation from an assessor who knows the student’s performance well enough to provide the assessment. The evaluation itself is based on pre-set criteria wherever possible.
Engaged We are engaged with our students and trainees. We treat them with respect and are aware of their dependent position.When we teach and guide students and trainees, we ensure optimal learning environments and are conscious of our role as a role model.

IV. Interaction with external parties

Honest We strive to cooperate honestly with external parties, ensuring that our relationships with external entities are such that we can make decisions for UMC Utrecht impartially.

Engaged We are aware of the impact of our actions on our surroundings and strive to minimize negative effects as much as possible.From our commitment to society, we refrain from cooperating with external parties if that means we can no longer act in accordance with our code of conduct.

Reliable In our actions, we are conscious of the regulations concerning competition and do not abuse any (potential) power position.

Independent When external parties finance research or other activities, we remain independent and do not let potential interests of these financiers affect our meticulousness.We avoid situations where personal interests might conflict with the interests of UMC Utrecht.To maintain our independence, we are very cautious about accepting gifts from external parties. We do not accept gifts that might imply or require a reciprocal favour.We always discuss any secondary activities with our supervisor. We ensure that these secondary activities do not harm our careful performance of duties or UMC Utrecht. We avoid any form of (appearance of) conflict of interest or dependency.

V. Interaction with UMC Utrecht resources and information

Honest We are open and honest about the costs we incur and declare.We are honest and clear in our external communication.
Engaged We use UMC Utrecht’s resources only for their intended purposes in UMC Utrecht. We do not use UMC Utrecht resources for personal use. This includes physical resources, financial resources, data/information, and intellectual property.From our commitment to UMC Utrecht and society, we use UMC Utrecht’s resources frugally. We exercise restraint in incurring costs for UMC Utrecht and strive to prevent waste.By acting sustainably and socially responsibly, we try to enhance the positive impact on society and minimize negative environmental impacts.
Reliable We handle confidential information carefully and reliably, both internally and externally.We communicate respectfully via social media and are aware that our expressions can influence UMC Utrecht’s reputation. Media inquiries are always answered in consultation with the Marketing and Communication department.
Independent We ensure that we are not under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs while performing our duties.