What do ethical standards serve as in healthcare?

Ethical standards in healthcare are fundamentally designed to guide moral behavior among professionals. These standards help to establish norms and values that inform practitioners on how to make decisions that are in the best interest of patients and uphold the integrity of the healthcare system. By providing a framework for what is considered right and wrong, ethical standards ensure that providers deliver care respectfully, compassionately, and justly. They promote accountability and trust within the healthcare environment, as well as contribute to the overall quality of care received by patients.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of ethical standards in healthcare. Financial management, marketing strategies, and technical skills development may be important aspects of healthcare operations, but they do not directly relate to the ethical conduct required in patient care and interactions between healthcare workers and patients. Ethics specifically focus on human rights, dignity, and the moral obligations that professionals have towards those they serve.