The Cleveland Clinic, one of the nation’s most prominent medical research centers, has begun publicly reporting its business relationships that any of its 1,800 staff doctors and scientists hold with drug and device makers, the New York Times reports.

The clinic’s decision for such wide-spread disclosure comes as the nation’s doctors and hospitals are under incredibly ballooning pressure to address potential financial conflicts of interest that can and do occur when they work closely with companies to develop and research new drugs and devices. The decision is commendable, considering that the majority of Americans take what they learn from the media and other authoritative figures as such, without questioning the formula behind it.

Of course, the clinic’s decision comes as atonement for past conflicts-of-interest after several doctors came under fire several years ago when the news media disclosed some of their financial links. The clinic opted to publicly disclose this information after a group undertook significant review of the clinic’s past endeavors.

Aside from being a golden rule taught by our mothers, disclosing information should become a best practice for maintaining patient trust and safety and institutional integrity. Through thorough show and tell, a hospital will literally be able to wipe its hands clean from possible conflict-of-interest situations.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/business/03clinic.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1228323635-aJpCMwDNiiy9q1hLc+YTlA