Legal and Ethical Topics in Healthcare
The Code of Ethics for Health Care Professionals states that patients have the right to know the truth about their health and that they can choose treatment options. The information must be sufficient and understandable to enable the patient to make informed decisions that are in their best interest. Ethical and legal dilemmas arise when the health care provider and the patient or patient`s family have different opinions about appropriate care. A health professional may be torn between the ethic of charity (doing good) and autonomy (respecting the wishes of the patient). If no solution can be found, a judge may have to decide the matter. There is no other solution: ethical questions will arise. Important ethical talking points are rarely simple, and there are no right and wrong answers. It is important that, in a patient-centred system of care, ethics be at the forefront. Professional ethics and patient safety are closely related fundamental concepts in medicine. Patient safety is based on ethical principles, which are considered indicators of quality of care (15). Patient safety requires the establishment and implementation of a code of professional ethics.
Based on Iran`s Code of Conduct for Health Professionals, all patients are expected to be treated with dignity and protected from potential harm (16). Therefore, adherence to ethical principles requires health care providers to identify potential safety deficiencies in order to prevent falls (15). The healthcare industry is constantly evolving as legislators, payers, patients and other stakeholders adapt to new realities. In health systems, the governance, risk and compliance (GRC) function is not just the task of following the law. Providers and support staff also need to understand the changing legal landscape. There is an obligation to inform the patient or family of any adverse health care events. The idea that it is not necessary to disclose errors that have not affected the patient is based on the traditional legal attitude. In addition, it is now known that such disclosures increase patients` trust in health care professionals while making them aware of what is happening around them. In addition, this approach allows health professionals to respect the autonomy and dignity of patients (21, 23). The rapid growth of the medical industry in the United States has created a growing demand for skilled clinical leaders who understand the complexities and challenges of healthcare systems, practices, and ethical issues.
An online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program specializing in health management includes general management as well as accounting and marketing strategies. Typical core courses in an online MBA program in Health Management include legal and ethical issues in health care. An MBA in Health Management graduate will be prepared to improve patient care from a business perspective at the department or organizational level. The first and most important maxim of the health care industry is primum non nocere or “First, do no harm.” It sounds simple, but the healthcare industry is complex and everyone in this demanding field faces tough decisions every day. Understanding the different ethical challenges in healthcare can enable you to make smart decisions that are better for patients. To learn more, you can find ethical considerations for a COVID-19 vaccination mandate here. Access to health care presents difficult ethical and legal dilemmas for health care professionals who sign an oath not to harm their patients. Balancing quality of care and efficiency can be challenging. Health care professionals struggle to help patients who don`t have the resources to cover the treatment they need. Pressure from hospital administrations, insurance companies and managed care organizations further limits the choice of treatments and prescriptions. A malpractice lawsuit is more likely when a patient claims their condition was misdiagnosed by a stressed physician.
Despite different patient safety policies and standards, less attention is paid to the ethical and legal aspects of this issue. From a moral perspective, the primary goal of patient safety in the healthcare system can be examined from two perspectives. It can be studied as a practical value, in that the focus is on its positive results and benefits. It can also be examined as a moral value with an emphasis on the protection and promotion of humanity and human dignity. It should be emphasized that both aspects are important in the health care system. From a professional perspective, moral values in patient safety are not separated from core medical obligations, but are so central that they can be the source of other moral values emphasized in medicine. This means that patient safety is closely linked to the concept of human dignity and that all patient safety measures must ensure the protection of human dignity (10). In other words, the responsibility of health workers and professional commitment in general are closely linked to human dignity (11). Over the past century, there have been a number of developments in medicine that have revolutionized the field of medical practice.
This makes it possible to diagnose diseases faster and more accurately. However, as new treatments are introduced and the field changes, healthcare professionals face new legal and ethical challenges. This blog gives you an overview of the topics of work in healthcare.
