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OUR COMMITMENT
We are committed to not unduly influencing or being unduly influenced by giving or receiving gifts.
INFORMATION TO KNOW
A gift is anything of value that may include but is not limited to monetary gifts, such as cash, checks, gift cards, securities, subsidies, or honoraria, or non-monetary gifts, such as meals, real property, personal property, goods, favors, memberships, or tickets.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
- To never solicit a gift from a patient, vendor or fellow workforce member.
- To accept only the following types of gifts from patients: (1) perishable gifts, such as food and flowers that are shared with your department or unit; or (2) handmade gifts such as a knitted scarf or headband. You may only give patients gifts that have been approved by the Office of Corporate Compliance.
- To only give and accept gifts from workforce members that do not compromise or appear to compromise your business judgment, the delivery of patient care or the performance of your job duties.
- To never accept cash or cash equivalent items from vendors. Workforce members may only accept a gift, including a meal, if it is valued at less than $50 from a vendor, and workforce members may not accept more than $250 worth of total gifts, including meals, from a vendor each year. Workforce members may not accept a gift from a vendor even if the gift is valued at less than $50 if that gift compromises or appears to compromise the workforce member’s judgment, the delivery of patient care or the performance of his or her job.
- Obtain prior approval from Harris Health’s Office of Corporate Compliance before organizing or engaging in a Harris Health campaign to provide gifts to patients and/or their families.
FAQs
I received – may I accept the following items?
A gift card from a vendor for $20
No. You are prohibited from accepting cash or cash equivalents from a vendor.
A free lunch from a vendor
Yes. You may accept a lunch from a vendor so long as the lunch is valued at less than $50 and so long as it does not compromise or appear to compromise your judgment, patient care, or the performance of your job.
A tin of popcorn from a patient during the holidays
Yes, you may accept the popcorn as long as you share the popcorn with everyone in your department.
An offer to pay for travel and training expenses from a vendor in exchange for speaking at a conference
Maybe. If the vendor is already doing business with Harris Health and has necessary training or product upgrades to show you, then you must first obtain the approval of your Executive Vice President before accepting the vendor’s travel proposal. Your Executive Vice President must consult with the Office of Corporate Compliance before approving the acceptance of this gift. If you are being asked to speak for payment at a location other than Houston and travel is involved, discuss the matter with the Office of Corporate Compliance.
Free tickets to a Houston Texans game from a vendor
No. Workforce members are prohibited from accepting tickets of any kind from a vendor.
A picture frame from a co-worker on my birthday
Yes. Workforce members may accept modest gifts from other workforce members so long as the gift does not compromise or appear to compromise the workforce member’s judgment, the delivery of patient care or the performance of his or her job duties.
POLICIES TO KNOW
- Harris Health Policy, 3.61 Gifts