This policy provides guidelines to School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) employees to ensure safe care to all patients while respecting employees’ moral, ethical, and religious beliefs.
This policy applies to SMPH-employed faculty and staff.
School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) employees charged with patient care responsibilities are required to provide considerate, respectful, and comprehensive care. Patient safety and quality of care may not be compromised because of an employee’s moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. Employees must promptly notify their supervisor of objections or constraints which may impact performance of job duties. When possible and as outlined in this policy, the supervisor will consult with the appropriate individuals within SMPH and UW Health to reconcile patient care needs with the employee’s moral, ethical, or religious beliefs.
As soon as a potential conflict is identified, the employee is responsible for advising their supervisor of any moral, ethical, or religious objections which may impact their ability to perform the duties of the position or meet performance expectations. Once notified, the following steps shall occur and be documented.