Why is there a PMA and Code of Conduct?

The PMA is not ancillary to our relationship; it is the core, foundational structure of our Health & Wellness family. We do our best for you, as you are our family, and together, we act as a family, with a specific Code of Behavior.  Everyone involved with GCHW is a member of our PMA—all of our staff and all our patients. With GoldCare, each member of the PMA (the doctor, the patient, the staff, everyone) owes every other PMA member a certain code of responsibility, which will be strictly enforced. Failure to abide by the guidelines of this code means patients’ memberships can and will be revoked, and clinicians and staff can and will be let go.

The following is a sample of some of our member codes of responsibility:

1. Social Media Postings are Prohibited Under the PMA Agreement. Our government and society have caused physicians to be financially and professionally vulnerable to how much patients like them. Physicians must answer to numerous non-physicians who have vast power over their financial and professional lives. Physicians are simultaneously held to the highest standard (malicious malpractice claims) and the lowest standard (maligned by a patient online for any reason from billing issues to bedside manner with no ability to respond in-kind due to patient privacy laws). Given the one-sided way reviews are done, especially anonymous reviews, it is not a fair reflection of “free speech,” especially when there is intent to harm the provider’s practice or reputation. Members (and their immediate family members) posting negative reviews will be terminated from GoldCare™ immediately and permanently. Social media posts are one-sided and do little to solve a problem in an ethical manner or build the trust needed for continued care. In the spirit of transparency, we also do not encourage positive social media reviews.

2. GoldCare™ Health & Wellness regularly seeks member feedback after appointments and consultations. Functions in the charting system exist to monitor patient feedback and allow providers to flag membership services if they anticipate a member’s needs were not adequately met during an encounter. GoldCare™ will ask patients who provide written positive feedback if the content can be shared internally, posted online, or printed in marketing materials, if appropriate. 

3. GoldCare™ will commit to responding to every patient concern in a timely, ethical, and transparent manner. We expect honorable, polite behavior at all times for patients, staff, and all healthcare providers.  

4. There is a zero-tolerance policy for suing a GoldCare™ Health & Wellness provider or member and all conflict resolution will occur through an internal PMA arbitration board.