Code of Ethics

The AOA’s Code of Ethics provides guidance on medical ethics and professional responsibilities.

Areas of focus include interacting with patients, engaging in professional relationships, and conducting research.

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Code of Ethics is a document that applies to all physicians who practice osteopathically throughout the continuum of their careers, from enrollment in osteopathic medical college/school through postgraduate training and the practice of osteopathic medicine.

It embodies principles that serve as a guide to the prudent physician. It seeks to transcend the economic, political, and religious biases when dealing with patients, fellow physicians, and society. It is flexible in nature in order to permit the AOA to consider all circumstances, both anticipated and unanticipated.

The physician/patient relationship and the professionalism of the physician are the basis for this document. The AOA has formulated this Code to guide its member physicians in their professional lives. The standards presented are designed to address the osteopathic and allopathic physician’s ethical and professional responsibilities to patients, to society, to the AOA, to others involved in health care and to self.

Further, the AOA has adopted the position that physicians should play a major role in the development and instruction of medical ethics.

A physician-patient relationship must be founded on mutual trust, cooperation, and respect. The patient, therefore, must have complete freedom to choose her/his physician. The physician must have complete freedom to choose patients whom she/he will serve. However, the physician should not refuse to accept patients for reasons of discrimination, including, but not limited to, the patient’s race, creed, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

In emergencies, a physician should make her/his services available. View further interpretation.

Under the law, a physician may advertise, but no physician shall advertise or solicit patients directly or indirectly through the use of matters or activities which are false or misleading. View further interpretation.

A physician shall not hold forth or indicate possession of any degree recognized as the basis for licensure to practice the healing arts unless she/he is actually licensed on the basis of that degree in the state or other jurisdiction in which she/he practices.

A physician shall designate her/his osteopathic or allopathic credentials in all professional uses of her/his name. Indications of specialty practice, membership in professional societies, and related matters shall be governed by rules promulgated by the American Osteopathic Association. View further interpretation.

A physician should not hesitate to seek consultation whenever she/he believe it is in the best interest of the patient.

In any dispute between or among physicians involving ethical or organizational matters, the matter in controversy should first be referred to the appropriate arbitrating bodies of the profession.

In any dispute between or among physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of a patient, the attending physician has the responsibility for final decisions, consistent with any applicable hospital rules or regulations.

Any fee charged by a physician shall compensate the physician for services actually rendered. There shall be no division of professional fees for referrals of patients.

A physician shall respect the law. When necessary, a physician shall attempt to help formulate the law by all proper means in order to improve patient care and public health.

In addition to adhering to the foregoing ethical standards, a physician shall recognize a responsibility to participate in community activities and services.

It is considered sexual misconduct for a physician to have sexual contact with any patient with whom a physician-patient relationship currently exists.

Sexual harassment by a physician is considered unethical. Sexual harassment is defined as a physical or verbal intimation of a sexual nature involving a colleague or subordinate in the workplace or academic setting, when such conduct creates an unreasonable, intimidating, hostile, or offensive workplace or academic setting.

From time to time, the industry may provide some AOA members with gifts as an inducement to use their products or services. Members who use these products and services as a result of these gifts, rather than simply for the betterment of their patients and the improvement of the care rendered in their practices, shall be considered to have acted in an unethical manner. View further interpretation.

A physician shall not intentionally misrepresent himself/herself or his/her research work in any way.

When participating in research, a physician shall follow the current laws, regulations, and standards of the United States or, if the research is conducted outside the United States, the laws, regulations, and standards applicable to research in the nation where the research is conducted.

This standard shall apply to physician involvement in research at any level and degree of responsibility, including, but not limited to, research, design, funding, participation, either as examining and/or treating provider, supervision of other staff in their research, analysis of data, and publication of results in any form for any purpose.

This document was last updated July 24, 2016.