The American Academy of Insurance Medicine

Code of Ethics

The American Academy of Insurance Medicine (AAIM) is an organization of insurance medical directors with associate and affiliate members in related occupations. The following Code of Ethics adopted by AAIM defines the essentials of honorable behavior for AAIM and its members.

1. AAIM members shall uphold high standards of professionalism in all interactions.

2. AAIM members shall comply with the laws and government regulations which apply to their actions.

3. AAIM members shall maintain the confidentiality of all individual medical information which is entrusted to them, releasing such information only as required or permitted by law.

4. When providing direct care for a patient, a physician member of the Academy shall regard responsibility to that patient as paramount. The physician will recognize that employers may be entitled to counsel about that patient’s medical work fitness, but not to diagnoses or specific details, except in compliance with laws and regulations or as authorized by the patient.

5. AAIM members shall not accept gifts, grants, hospitality or the like if same might influence their professional or business judgment or the selection of vendors or products.

6. An AAIM member shall disclose actual and potential conflicts of interest when involved with AAIM business so that they can be evaluated by AAIM and adjustments made in order to avoid undue influence of the disclosed interest. This includes:

(a) Annual submission of forms by Officers, Editors and Committee Chairs of AAIM, in order to disclose actual or potential conflicts.

(b) Giving notice of any conflict of interest and abstaining from participating in any affected item of business when participating in AAIM board or committee meetings or other AAIM business.

(c) Requiring speakers at scientific meetings, symposia or other conferences conducted under AAIM auspices to disclose any significant conflicts of interest which might influence the views they present.

(d) Authors of manuscripts submitted for publication in AAIM’s publications will alert the editor of any financial support received by the author or any other financial interest that the author may have which might affect the author's manuscript.

7. AAIM will not discriminate in membership based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, or handicap.
8. AAIM’s advertising policies are:

(a) For The Journal of Insurance Medicine, advertising will:

Be for services or products which are relevant to the practice of insurance medicine.
Generally fall into the categories of insurance laboratories, information-gathering organizations serving the insurance industry, publishers of professional textbooks or professional journals, employment related advertisements, or other services or products which are of particular interest to the practice of insurance medicine.
Be eligible for placement only if approved by the Editor.
Not state or imply any endorsement of a product or service by AAIM without the express written consent of the Executive Committee and the Editor.

(b) For the AAIM web site, advertising will be limited to:

"positions available" (for a fee) and
recognition of sponsors of AAIM activities (no additional fee)

meeting or activity sponsors approved by the Executive Committee
other insurance medicine professional organizations

9. Failure to adhere to these standards will subject the member to action by the Executive Council as described in Article III of the AAIM Bylaws.

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