Ethical challenges in healthcare management are as varied and diverse as opinions come. The challenges mainly spring up because the industry does hold some power over life and death decisions of patients and the medical staff. As long as human life is involved, there is bound to be some degree of concern in the way things are run during the administration of healthcare services. Most of the ethical management issues are of basic nature, which may be influenced by personal opinions and preferences.
One of the most disputed issues in the healthcare system is that of patient records. Up until the recent past, patient records could be released to anyone at any particular time. However, this was rectified a few years ago making patient information a private matter that can only be discussed by the doctor and the patient. The application of the law makes the doctors liable for infringement of privacy patient by revealing any information as pertains to a patient’s condition. On the other hand, doctors and health institutions have the obligation to reveal any or all relevant information that concerns the patient’s condition, treatment being administered, insurance information and even the complications or side effects from the treatment regime.
Second, the law gives the patient the power and right to accept or refuse any medical advice given by a medical professional such as a doctor. This beats the logic of the patient seeking attention in the event the patient has medical problems. However, due to the power that the doctor holds over the patient, in what is known as the information asymmetry, the doctor might actually influence the demand for healthcare by the patient. Taking advantage of the patient’s ignorance, the doctor takes away the power of the patient from accepting or refusing any medical advice or treatment administered. The doctor taking his or her time to inform on the best way forward or even alternatives available may restore this power back to the patient.
Third, in the healthcare set up, the medical staff has to be protected completely against getting communicable diseases that can be acquired by coming in contact with the patients. This thus requires them to always be in protective gear or attire before attending to the patients. At the same time, the healthcare providers are required to be humane and try to bond with the patients as much as possible in order to aid their healing process. Despite all these, there is no legal protection offered to the healthcare providers in the event that they come into contact with the patients an contract some diseases. This becomes a risky affair for the doctors, nurses and other medical personnel offering the services to the patients. How to manage the patient doctor relationship without any risk between the two proves to be an ethical challenge in itself.
Finally, by nature, health institutions are supposed to be service offering non-profit making entities. As such, they should not be engaged in the business of marketing and advertisement of their health services. However, the patients do require knowing where and what kind of services they can get in the event of illnesses or complications. By holding the moral ground, the patients are denied the opportunity to learn of information that can be helpful to them. On the other hand, most institutions, even the public ones, do not have enough funds to manage the high costs of running. By restricting to the traditional word of mouth as a means of advertisement, these institutions are denied high revenues that could otherwise be used to offer more health services.
Reference
Johnson, W. (2010). Ethical Issues in Health Care Delivery. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_5851631_ethical-issues-health-care delivery.html#ixzz1McP6h3Av
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