As an independent ombudsman representing the American Red Cross to Congress, there are a few areas I would advise Congress to increase regulations to address ethical issues in business at the systemic level. Firstly, I would suggest mandating regular meetings with federal, state, and local community stakeholders. Open forums of communication between primary stakeholders should help alleviate concerns and start to rebuild trust between the various entities. If the ARC is to be a part of the official disaster relief response duties for the public, they should be mandated to have plans in place to respond appropriately, as well as a means of coordinating activities between the various organizations. Committees involving a combination of federal,
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For instance, if the public is led to believe that their donation is going to a specific cause, the funds donated should go to that specific cause or the administrative expenses involved in that specific cause. Another viable option would be to regulate the ARC donations by making an explicit exclaimer that all funds may be utilized based on priorities as decided by the organization. The current system, which is unclear, may contribute to some of the mistrust present by the public towards the ARC. I would also like to see increased regulation for the ARC blood services. Ensuring the safety of our nation’s blood supply is a critical national security issue. The ARC should be given whatever assistance necessary to ensure that blood donations are as safe and secure as …show more content…
The American Red Cross has also had difficulties in communicating with local community facilities during emergencies, and not all of these difficulties are the fault of the American Red Cross. For instance, many health care providers are very reluctant to provide any individually identified health information to the American Red Cross due to perceived conflict with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations (Barham, 2015). These difficulties in communication exist despite an exemption that the American Red Cross is granted within the HIPAA legislation. Most health care providers have little experience with the intricacies of the HIPAA legislation, and with stiff penalties involved in violating the legislation, health care workers are often not willing to take the
For instance, if the public is led to believe that their donation is going to a specific cause, the funds donated should go to that specific cause or the administrative expenses involved in that specific cause. Another viable option would be to regulate the ARC donations by making an explicit exclaimer that all funds may be utilized based on priorities as decided by the organization. The current system, which is unclear, may contribute to some of the mistrust present by the public towards the ARC. I would also like to see increased regulation for the ARC blood services. Ensuring the safety of our nation’s blood supply is a critical national security issue. The ARC should be given whatever assistance necessary to ensure that blood donations are as safe and secure as …show more content…
The American Red Cross has also had difficulties in communicating with local community facilities during emergencies, and not all of these difficulties are the fault of the American Red Cross. For instance, many health care providers are very reluctant to provide any individually identified health information to the American Red Cross due to perceived conflict with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations (Barham, 2015). These difficulties in communication exist despite an exemption that the American Red Cross is granted within the HIPAA legislation. Most health care providers have little experience with the intricacies of the HIPAA legislation, and with stiff penalties involved in violating the legislation, health care workers are often not willing to take the