responsibilities toward patients ETH 101 Ethics in Health Care responsibilities toward patients Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Course content Duties toward patients Orientation and introduction Plagiarism Importance of Ethics and patients rights Principals of health ethics Health professionals ethics and regulations Duties toward patients Duties toward community Duties toward oneself and religious ruling Duties toward the profession Ethics in learning and teaching Ethics in documentation

Outline Responsibilities toward patients.

Good Treatment smiling. Listening and empathizing. Discretion and choosing appropriate words which does not embarrass the patient. Showing humility and refrain from arrogance, demeaning, mocking, sarcasm.

Good Treatment Respecting views, customs and social norms. Fairness and no discrimination. Gentle handling. Refraining from committing religiously forbidden acts. Reducing the patient’s physical and psychological suffering.

Achieving Patients’ Interests and Guarding their Rights Limit investigations, prescriptions and procedures to what is needed. Refrain from using unproven diagnostic or therapeutic measures. Informing and educating. Refer patients to appropriate health care practitioners.

Achieving Patients’ Interests and Guarding their Rights Respect patient’s right to access medical information, have it recorded and/or be referred to another healthcare practitioner, Continuity of care. Make sure that patients receive appropriate medical care during your absence. In emergencies, continue delivering the medical care until care is no longer needed. Respect patients’ times.

Patient’s Consent Patients need to give consent to any medical or surgical intervention. Enough information should be provided. Consent should be sought from competent patients or their proxy/substitute decision maker. Risky procedures require written consent. Women give consent to all medical procedure except what is related to their reproduction where husband’s consent should be sought.

Reassurance of Patient Explore psychological needs Educate to reduce fear. Interact with patients’ fears. Correct misconceptions. Give patients time to understand and express feelings.

Reassurance of Patient Remind patients that illness is chance for forgiveness. Reassure patients that they will be taken care of as long as they need, even in incurable diseases. Pray with and for the patient.

Breaking bad news Gradual Suitable to patients understanding Appropriate time and place Give enough time and attention

Breaking bad news Focus on the positives Continuity of care. Assess how much knowledge is needed Learn communication skills Don’t disclose what you are not authorized to.

Confidentiality when can you disclose information? Protect contacts from harm. Interest of the society (criminal act, communicable diseases, court, malpractice charges). Treatment. Education purposes (maintain patient anonymity)

Photography and Voice Recording Photography is not allowed unless there is a need (medical care, research, education, legal).

Photography and Voice Recording Regulations: Inform. Obtain consent. Never pressure. Use only for important and necessary purposes. Right to withdraw. No publishing without written consent.

Photography and Voice Recording Exception of consent: Photograph of internal organs of the body. Histology (human tissues) slides. Endoscopic photographs. Diagnostic imaging in any of its forms.

Refusing medical treatment Listen to the patient’s point of view and respect his/her wish. Explain the importance the consequences without exaggeration. Refer patients to their treating doctors. Document refusal.

Refrain from treating a patient Non-emergency. Have a personal or professional reasons that would jeopardize the quality of care. Refraining does not harm the patient’s health. There is an alternative capable practitioner.

Any questions?

Case scenario A 30 year old woman was diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer. Treatment includes chemotherapy which will most probably damage her ovaries and consequently her ability to have children. When you explained the side effects to the patient she agreed to the treatment but asked you not to mention it in front of her husband. What should you do?

Case scenario You work in a charity clinic that is struggling to provide health care for poor patients. A representative from a medical devices company visited your clinic asking you try a new medical instrument on your patients in exchange of covering their medical expenses. The instrument has not been approved yet, but the primary studies showed promising results. What should you do?

Case scenario A 65 year old man came to the hospital after a car accident. The treating doctor thought a photo of him could be very helpful for his students. As the patient was unconscious his 40 year old son signed a consent form. When the patient gained his consciousness back he did not like that photos were taken and asked the doctor not to use them. The pictures were rare and would have been very useful for teaching purposes and a written consent was given. What should the doctor do?

Reference Chapter 1 and 2: Code of Ethics for Healthcare Practitioners (2014) The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Department of Medical Education & Postgraduate Studies.