Health Care Ethics

Ethics: Good of the individual concentrating on motives and attitudes. Moral: Concept of what is right or wrong as it relates to conscience. Statutes: A law enacted by the legislative branch of a government (reflects society’s needs, attitudes, and morals.)

CODE OF ETHICS: (Professional conduct) standards of behavior on the rights and dignity of the patient as an individual.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ETHICS AND LAW ETHICS – Internal – Concerned with motive – Interests of the individual – Right-something to which one has a morally justified claim LAW – External – Concerned with overt acts or conduct – Interests of society – Right-power or privilege inherent in one person or enforceable in a court of law

Morality is concerned with what people believe to be right and good conduct.

Ethics is the part of philosophy that deals with systematic approaches to questions of morality. It provides the intellectual framework that allows us to analyze and make decisions in regard to moral choices.

In general, the basic principles involved in health care ethics are: Autonomy, veracity, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, confidentiality, and role fidelity.

Questions: Should the elderly be provided the same level of health care as that provided for children? Should patients with “Do Not Resuscitate” orders be treated in intensive care? Must a health care provider who is HIV positive relate this to his patients? Who should live when not all can live?

Questions: Is there a morality to mercy killing? Is there a right to health care? If there is a right, what is the limit of that right? What is the meaning of confidentiality when, on the average, over 75 different individuals have access to information form our medical records?