Washington, D.C., November 14, 2023 – More than 300 private healthcare organizations have now committed to ethical practices by signing on to the Ethical Principles in Health Care (EPiHC), which provide actionable guidelines that promote ethical behavior for improving quality of care and access.
EPiHC, which was developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in collaboration with the World Bank and is supported by the Government of Japan, is a set of 10 universally applicable ethical principles that are designed to help health organizations navigate complex situations, improve decision making, and provide a forum for likeminded stakeholders to discuss common challenges and solutions. Together EPiHC's signatories now own or manage nearly 6,000 healthcare facilities in over 100 countries.
"We are thrilled to see how important ethical principles are to private health organizations," said Farid Fezoua, IFC's Global Director for Health, Education, and Services. "It underscores the importance that private providers place on delivering the best care they can, with the highest level of quality and compliance, while improving access for all patients and taking into consideration the needs of the communities they serve."
EPiHC is a no-fee, collective-action initiative. Its signatories—private healthcare providers, payors, investors and their respective associations—commit to the principles and decide how their organization will implement them. Growing the community is part of developing healthcare systems that are more effective and accessible. When applied consistently the principles can strengthen trust between providers and their stakeholders, a trust that is essential to deliver the best possible care to the greatest number of patients.
EPiHC offers its members a number of opportunities for improving knowledge and implementation of ethical principles. This includes trainings, an online resource library, member-only events, a peer-to-peer learning platform, and other knowledge-sharing opportunities. EPiHC is working on a self-assessment tool for its signatories to review how well they are implementing the principles.
For more information on EPiHC and how to enroll as a signatory, visit epihc.org
About IFC
IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2023, IFC committed a record $43.7 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org
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