Compliance Ethics

Tahoe Forest Hospital District is a public, not-for-profit entity organized under California’s Local Health Care District Law to meet the needs of the local community. The District offers a number of local health services within the Tahoe Forest Health System. As a public entity, the District is governed by an elected board of directors and is subject to requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act. Documents and financial information which are not exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act are available, upon request, to members of the public.

The Tahoe Forest Health System value of Quality means we hold ourselves to the highest standards and have personal integrity in all we do. We are committed to making proper and ethical decisions in all of our activities, and to promote honesty and integrity both in patient care and in our business practices. To accomplish this, Tahoe Forest Health System actively maintains a Corporate Compliance Program which provides a code of conduct and guidance to the entire Health System team, including the leadership, staff, and healthcare and business partners, to consistently and effectively comply with all laws and to make ethical decisions. An effective compliance program promotes doing the right thing and discourages wrongdoing by providing education and ongoing monitoring and auditing activities.

The Health System leadership, including the Tahoe Forest Hospital District Board of Directors, and the Health System management team, endorses compliance with all legal, regulatory, and ethical standards. The Board of Directors, elected by the community, are responsible for approving major decisions affecting our Health System, including establishing long-range strategic plans, allocating financial resources, and overseeing the Health System’s delivery of healthcare and the maintenance of operations. The Health System management team provides leadership and organizational management in the operations, integration and promotion of our mission and values, and in finance and support services. Decision making by our leadership reflects an understanding of our responsibility to adhere to ethical principles and our desire to uphold the integrity and accountability of our Health System.

The Tahoe Forest Health System promotes equity in the provision of care and respects the rights of each person to make informed health care decisions. Clinical decision making is supported by consideration and weighing of many factors, including medical facts; patient preferences; views of family, friends and caregivers; and religious, social, legal, and administrative factors. In providing quality and understanding care, we make every effort to respect the values of our patients and to promote the basic values of fairness, honesty, and integrity.

We may use and disclose health information about you so the treatment and services you receive at our hospital may be billed to and payment maybe collected from you, an insurance company or a third party. We may also tell your health plan administrator about a treatment you are going to receive to obtain prior approval or to determine whether your plan will cover the treatment.