Professional values form the basis for the principles that are included in a code of ethics. Professional values for HIM include the importance of education and technical competency, patient safety, data validity and accuracy, truthfulness, compassion, and dedication to providing quality services in professional roles. Decision-making criteria for work decisions can include technological feasibility, reasonable cost, legality, available personnel expertise,
standards of care, and organizational goals. The ethical decision is what should be done (the best action), given the competing interests, obligations, and values of others involved in making the decision.
This criterion requires the professional to consider values that are beyond the personal and to take into account the values and perspectives of others who are involved.
The core ethical principles of beneficence (do good), nonmaleficence (do not harm), autonomy (control by the individual), and justice (fairness) stated by Beauchamp and Childress are important to a code of ethics.
A review of codes of ethics from 1957 to 2004 revealed the following values: providing service to others; protecting information; promoting confidentiality and teaching others of the importance of this principle; preserving and securing health information;
