Integrity and accuracy set the foundation of the relationship between journalists and their audiences. We pride ourselves on being the most credible source of healthcare business news and information available. Our Editorial Code of Ethics, which is regularly updated and also can be found under the "About Us" section of ModernHealthcare.com, offers the parameters under which we work. This is an edited version.
- Access: The editorial staff determines who has access to the staff. Staff members will not discriminate based on a source's status as an advertiser or potential advertiser. Access to the staff will not be a stated or implied condition of a business arrangement with an advertiser or potential advertiser.
- Attribution: Modern Healthcare prefers on-the-record sources. Reporters are discouraged from conducting off-the-record interviews. Reporters may cite confidential sources with the editor's permission, and all confidential sources must be disclosed to the editor. Sources are confidential for the magazine and all its publications, not for the individual reporter.
- Blogs: Editorial staff members are free to operate their own personal blogs and websites, as long as the content of the blog or site does not jeopardize the credibility of the staff member as it pertains to his or her responsibilities at Modern Healthcare. Editorial staff members may not write or post content for their personal blogs or websites on work time.
- Conferences, trade shows, exhibitions: The primary responsibilities of editors and reporters who attend conferences, trade shows, exhibitions or similar events are to collect news, learn industry trends and cultivate new sources. Editors and reporters are not required to meet with advertisers or potential advertisers but may do so at their own discretion.
- Confidentiality agreements: No member of the Modern Healthcare editorial staff may sign a confidentiality agreement to review documents, photos or other material in researching a story for publication. Such an agreement improperly cedes control over what Modern Healthcare can and cannot publish to a third party.
- Conflicts: Editorial staff members and their family members should avoid conflicts of interest, such as investments in or working for organizations or companies covered by Modern Healthcare. Editorial staff members must disclose such conflicts to senior editors for resolution and possible disclosure to readers.
- Favors, food, gifts, trips: Editorial staff members will not accept favors, food or gifts from sources or potential sources unless they are unsolicited and of nominal value. Editorial staff members will not accept free trips from sources or potential sources.
- Prepublication review: Prepublication review of draft or completed editorial content by sources is prohibited. The prohibition does not apply to fact-checking. At their discretion, reporters may read quotes back to sources to ensure their accuracy before publication.
- Sponsored editorial content: One or more advertisers may sponsor editorial content as long as the editorial staff controls the content. Sponsors will have no control over the editorial content. The names and/or logos of sponsors will not appear on the cover of such editorially controlled content. Sponsors may receive an acknowledgment, including logos, on the first-available inside editorial page of an editorially controlled special section or supplement.
