Florida National University Biomedical Ethics Assignm 948188

Florida National Universityphi1635 Biomedical Ethics Assignment Week

Florida National University PHI1635 Biomedical Ethics: Assignment Week 4 Discussion Exercise: Chapters 7 and 8

Paper For Above instruction

Healthcare in the 21st century is subject to complex legal and ethical frameworks, which present numerous challenges for healthcare professionals and managers. These challenges often involve balancing legal obligations with ethical considerations to ensure responsible and compassionate patient care. The key issues that healthcare managers face include patient confidentiality, patient relationships, malpractice and negligence, informed consent, and physician-assisted suicide (PAD). This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of these five ethical issues, their implications, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced them.

To begin, understanding the core concepts and significance of these issues is essential. Patient confidentiality refers to the obligation of healthcare providers to protect patient information from unauthorized disclosure. It is fundamental to building trust between patients and providers and is protected by laws such as HIPAA in the United States. Violations can undermine patient trust and have legal repercussions. Patient relationships involve establishing and maintaining professional, respectful, and empathetic interactions with patients, which are essential for effective care delivery. Malpractice and negligence relate to the failure of healthcare professionals to meet the standard of care, leading to patient harm and legal liabilities. Informed consent embodies respecting patient autonomy by ensuring that patients are adequately informed about procedures and risks before agreeing to treatment. Physician-assisted suicide (PAD) is an ethically controversial practice involving tasks that raise profound moral questions regarding autonomy, quality of life, and the sanctity of life.

The ethical implications of these issues are far-reaching. For example, breach of confidentiality can cause emotional harm, loss of trust, and legal penalties. The relationship between healthcare providers and patients must be founded on respect and transparency to foster positive health outcomes. Malpractice not only damages individual patients but also erodes public confidence in healthcare systems. Upholding informed consent respects patient autonomy and is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice. PAD poses complex moral debates about the ethics of helping a patient end their life, particularly within varying legal frameworks worldwide. Healthcare managers must navigate these issues carefully, ensuring that ethical principles such as beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice are upheld.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted these ethical issues. For example, confidentiality concerns were heightened with the widespread use of digital health records and telemedicine, raising risks of data breaches. The pandemic strained healthcare relationships due to resource shortages, overwhelmed healthcare systems, and emotional stress, impacting patient-provider interactions. Malpractice concerns increased as healthcare workers operated under extraordinary pressures, leading to potential errors. Informed consent became more complex due to rapidly evolving treatment options and uncertain risks associated with COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. Regarding PAD, discussions about end-of-life care intensified as the pandemic highlighted the importance of patient autonomy but also complicated ethical decision-making in critical and resource-constrained settings.

In conclusion, understanding these five key ethical issues in healthcare management is crucial for developing responsible policies and practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of ethically sound decision-making amid unprecedented challenges. Healthcare managers must continuously adapt to evolving ethical dilemmas, prioritize patient rights and safety, and foster trust within the healthcare community. As healthcare continues to evolve, so too must our understanding of the ethical principles that guide compassionate and ethical care in the complex landscape of modern medicine.

References

  • Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.
  • Fitzgerald, C. (2020). Ethical issues in healthcare during COVID-19. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(9), 583-584.
  • Gostin, L. O., & Hodge, J. G. (2020). US Emergency Legal Responses to COVID-19. JAMA, 323(22), 2253-2254.
  • Jonsen, A. R., Siegler, M., & Winslade, W. J. (2010). Clinical Ethics: A Practical Approach to Ethical Decisions in Clinical Medicine (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Medical.
  • Katz, J. (2019). The ethics of physician-assisted death. Annual Review of Medicine, 70, 225-237.
  • Levy, S. (2021). Data Privacy and Confidentiality in Telehealth During COVID-19. Telemedicine and e-Health, 27(1), 1-3.
  • McCartney, M. (2020). Healthcare law and ethics during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet, 396(10259), 77-78.
  • Pollock, A. M., & Roderick, P. (2021). The ethics of allocating scarce healthcare resources during COVID-19. Journal of Medical Ethics, 47(9), 607-610.
  • Simmons, D. (2019). The legal and ethical landscape of malpractice in healthcare. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 47(4), 505-517.
  • Wicclair, M. R. (2011). An Ethics of Care Perspective on Physician-Assisted Suicide. The Journal of Medical Ethics, 37(9), 535-540.

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