Business Ethics in HealthCare

1. Business Ethics in HealthCare

2. Beneficence: belief that the best interests of the patient should be first Nonmalfeasance: belief that every action taken by the health care worker should not cause any harm to the patient Autonomy: freedom of every patient to either accept or reject the treatment offered Justice: belief that the decisions made by the health care workers are fair Dignity: belief that all patients have the right to be treated with dignity when they are in the health care system Truthfulness and honesty: belief that the patient is aware of all benefits and risks of all treatments being offered Role of Ethics in Healthcare: Six Underlying Values

3. Doctor-Patient Relationship • Four models to describe the doctor-patient relationship • Engineering model: doctor carries out the patient’s wishes • Priestly model: assumes that the doctor will always do what is in the patient’s best interest • Collegial model: assumes the doctor and patient participate equally in decisions based on trust • Contractual model: enters into an agreement in which both parties assume they are pursuing mutual goals

4. Health Care Codes of Ethics • Many different codes of ethics from many different sources • Health care providers may have to reconcile, sometimes in their own minds, the differences in the codes of ethics • Must make the best decision under unique, individual circumstances with patients

5. Consumer Rights and Responsibilities Concerning Healthcare (United States) • Information disclosure • Choice of providers and plans • Access to emergency services • Participation in treatment decisions • Respect and nondiscrimination • Confidentiality of health information • Complaints and appeals • Consumer responsibilities

6. Good Medical Practice (United Kingdom) • Make the care of your patient your first concern. • Protect and promote the health of patients and the public. • Provide a good standard of practice and care • Treat patients as individuals and respect their dignity • Work in partnership with patients • Be honest and open and act with integrity

7. Pharmaceutical Issues • Pharmaceutical companies provide financial incentives to doctors who prescribe their drugs • Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars advertising directly to consumers

8. The Rise of E-Drugs • Issue of safeguarding consumers from fraudulent pharmacies selling online prescription drugs

9. Advantages: Open 24 hours – seven days a week Reduced intimidation when patients obtain embarrassing or sensitive medications Patients may be allowed to check medication profiles online Price comparisons easier Delivered directly to home May be considered more convenient Persons with disabilities may find the process easier Disadvantages: May not be a pharmacist to answer questions Concerns about privacy of patient information Concerns about financial information that is transmitted in transactions Questions about integrity of the drugs shipped to patients Quality of drug information that is provided Using E-Drugs

10. Stakeholders and the Healthcare System • Patient’s family and friends • Health insurance companies • Hospitals and other healthcare providers • Pharmaceutical companies • Government Medicare and Medicaid • Doctors’ union

11. Questions for Thought • Comment on the stakeholders in Figure 6-1. Are any of them more important than another group? • Do codes of ethics work in the health-care industry? Explain. • Is there a difference in ‘health-care’ ethics versus ‘business’ ethics? Explain.