MEDICAL ETHICS

Course overview

FAMILIARITY WITH ETHICAL PRINCIPLES ON A BASIC LEVEL IS NECESSARY TO PRACTICE MEDICINE. HOWEVER, MOST HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE UNABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW OR WHY MEDICAL ETHICS PRINCIPLES HAVE COME TO BE AND JUSTIFY HOW THEY APPLY MEDICAL ETHICS PRINCIPLES IN A SYSTEMATIC FASHION. MANY DIFFERENT MEDICAL ETHICS GUIDELINES ARE AVAILABLE, SUCH AS FROM THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (AMA), AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION (AOA), AND THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS (ACP). GIVEN THE LACK OF DEFINITIVE ETHICAL STANDARDS AND PREMISES, LET ALONE A HIERARCHY OR ALGORITHM FOR PRIORITIZING THEM, CLINICIANS STILL FACE CHALLENGES IN ACHIEVING SATISFACTORY SOLUTIONS TO ETHICAL CHALLENGES FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR PATIENTS, AND OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED. BECAUSE MEDICAL ETHICS ISSUES ARE NOT LIMITED TO PHYSICIANS, THIS ARTICLE IS WRITTEN TO BE USEFUL FOR BOTH PHYSICIANS AND NON-PHYSICIANS. THE NEUTRAL TERM "HEALTHCARE PROVIDER" IS USED IN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT APPLY TO BOTH PHYSICIANS AND NON-PHYSICIANS.