Ethical Theories and Principles in Healthcare - Essay Example

Ethical Theories and Principles in Healthcare Personal values, morals, and ethics influence healthcare decision making to a considerable level. The upbringing of a physician inculcates in him certain values. His socioeconomic status and personal and societal experiences further influence those values by letting him relate his personal standards to what is best for others. Buryska (118-112) has raised a very important aspect of medical practice, which involves ethical considerations that the patients expect the physicians to express based on their spiritual, religious and cultural beliefs.

For example, the case of physician-assisted suicide must be understood. Religious beliefs may go against this, but people must understand that sometimes it becomes crucial for the physicians to make the patient die with dignity and peace rather than leave him die in distress. This way, personal standards and personal beliefs of the physicians, at times, conflict with the demands of the patients. I believe that informed consent is an important ethical consideration that is about having the capable patient take part in making decisions about his healthcare and treatment process (Wear, 1992). . Confidentiality is also a crucial ethical issue, which must be maintained between patient and the physician during decision-making.

My views best relate with two ethical frameworks: (1) Deontology, which focuses on that physicians should stick to their responsibilities when they are facing a dilemma in making ethical decisions. This will help them to make consistent decisions while adhering to their ethical obligations. (2) Utilitarianism, a theory that helps the physician in making choices whose consequences are better for the patient. He will make a decision that will yield greatest benefit to all involved. ReferencesBuryska, J.F. (2001).

Assessing the ethical weight of cultural, religious and spiritual claims in the clinical context. Journal of Medical Ethics, 27(2), pp. 118-122.Wear, S. (1992). Informed Consent: Patient Autonomy and Physician Beneficence within Clinical Medicine. USA: Springer.