Robert L. Cox MD

Insights into your biological future

 

My Personal Pledge of Integrity to Meeting Partners

One of the critical characteristics of a successful medical practice is absolute integrity. This includes integrity to patients, integrity to colleagues and integrity to the profession.

Consider the actual "life and death" situations and decisions inherent to my practice as a consultant in Infectious Diseases. In sorting through the facts of a case, it was essential that I be able to rely completely upon the accuracy of the information I received from other physicians and surgeons. Without such reliability, I would be unable to reach a correct conclusion, thus compromising the patient's outcome. Likewise, my opinions and recommendations, which would lead to tests, treatment and even surgery, had to be 100% reliable. There is no margin for error in the Intensive Care Unit!

For the patient there can be no "doctor-patient relationship" if there is even the slightest concern over honesty and integrity. Absent these, no physician or medical practice would be successful.

As a specialist, it is easy for me to recognize and understand my limitations. I do not try to be all things to all people. My expertise within Infectious Diseases did not translate into treating diabetes, delivering babies or irradiating brain tumors. These were outside my area of practice, so I turned to colleagues for these. I would never have held myself out to be an expert in an area in which I was not.

It is a basic tenant of medicine that we put the patient above all else. There is no tolerance of a physician whose personal focus compromises what is best for the patient.

As a successful physician, I would never work with another physician once their integrity was compromised. Conversely, my personal success was dependent upon and a result of my own integrity.

Why do I tell you this? Because this system of belief and behavior is inherent within me...as a person, as a physician and as a speaker. I pledge this same level of integrity to you. I will not put personal gain above the best interests of my clients, my colleagues or my meeting partners. I will not accept a speaking engagement if the interests and goals of the client are not consistent with my ability to deliver the highest quality program. I will not present a program on a topic which is outside my area of expertise. Whenever possible, I will always assist in identifying an alternative speaker who would be better suited for the needs of the client.

As an extension of my pledge to you, I expect the same level of honesty and integrity from my clients, colleagues and meeting partners. I seek relationships founded upon mutual trust. My time, just as yours, is too precious to spend wondering whether our business relationship is one with integrity. It simply must be!

Robert L. Cox, MD