...Ethical Healthcare Issues HCS545 May 11th, 2015 Ethical Healthcare Issues Ethical issues arise in all types of industry no matter the magnitude of the issue decisions will have to be made regarding it. The health care industry is no different, some of those ethical issues include patient privacy (or lack of), transplant allocation, refusal of care, patient dumping, access of care, biomedical research and patient noncompliance with treatment. For this paper I will focus on patient privacy, the ethical issue of patient privacy is how patient information is getting leaked unintentionally. An examination of how each of the four major ethical principles can be applied towards this issue will be provided. Patient Privacy The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) original intents were to enable workers to change jobs without fear of losing health care coverage (Liebler & McConnell, 2012), but HIPAA is more commonly known for protecting patient privacy. When organizations had to be HIPAA compliant by April 14, 2003 those organizations were required to train employees in the proper handling of protected health information (PHI), publish policies and procedures addressing the handling of patient medical information (Liebler & McConnell, 2012) . Any release of patient information for purposes other than treatment, payment, or operations requires written authorization (Buppert, 2002). Under the patient privacy rule EVERYTHING is protected, diagnosis...
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...IOM 1999, described the healthcare in the US as not safe as it should be. According to the two major studies, 44,000 people out of 98,000 die each year in the hospitals due to the medical errors which can be preventable. The issues which commonly occur during the provision of care are adverse drug effects, improper treatment, surgical injuries, wrong site surgeries, suicide, restraint injuries or death, falls, burns pressure ulcers and wrong patient identification. These errors cost between $ 17-29 billion per year in the hospitals worldwide. It also affects the trust and patient-provider relationship. The article further talks about the factors which are the leading cause of medical errors are a “decentralized and fragmented system” where...
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...| Ethical health care issue. Being ethical is one thing that is so important to all and sundry. In every manner of life, whether at home, at the work place, or any social place, ethics shape our behavior. The health care field is one sector that has ethics to be part of the practices. Ethical issues continue to be serious issues for discussions in the trends of the health care system. Viewing ethics as the fundamental platform for health care practices, the recognition of rights, an economic issue and shifts in social and family systems throws light on the ethical issues more in the health field (Fernandes & Moreira, 2013). Individual or group ethics of professionals may go a long way to change the organizational values. An organ donation situation occurred in a facility that was of ethical concern, the situation; its ethical implication and evaluation are discussed in this paper. This issue is being evaluated and discussed based on the four ethical principles, autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The story of a father and daughter wanting to save each other poses an ethical issue of consent. This is a father who is willing and able to donate his only kidney to his needy daughter. The daughter here is in dire need of a kidney transplant. His father in 1996, according to CNN’s Kahn J.F donated one of his kidneys to his daughter while in jail (2000). The response to the transplant thereof has not been positive. Her father is ready to do an exchange and...
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...TH E E C O N O M I C B U R D E N O F H E A LT H I N E Q U A L I T I E S IN T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES IN THE UNITED STATES Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D. Darrell J. Gaskin, Ph.D. Patrick Richard, Ph.D. September 2009 foreward Not everyone in the United States enjoys the same health opportunities. Studies show that minority Americans experience poorer than average health outcomes from cradle to the grave. They are much more likely to die as infants, have higher rates of diseases and disabilities, and have shorter life spans. As the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration work toward enactment of legislation to reform America’s health care system, a central focus of the debate has been the projected cost of ensuring accessible and affordable health care to every citizen. While some have struggled with the premise that health care reform can actually reduce health-related spending, the experience of racial and ethnic minorities under our current health care system is a strong indication that improving opportunities for good health – and minimizing inequities in health care access and outcomes – may well be good for the nation’s fiscal health, as well. This study, commissioned by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and carried out by leading researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, provides important insight into how much of a financial burden racial disparities are putting on our health...
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...Healthcare in the United States is an industry that would be categorized as a fortress. It is regulated by Government policies that were mandated with the intentions of keeping the citizens safe, making sure everyone had coverage, and offering protection against those with inadequate credentials. Unfortunately what was created was a system that protects a small number of physicians and insurance companies and while most people are covered, that coverage of the quality it could be if healthcare were in a frontier market. The most substantial pitfall that keeps government projects in a fortress market is the idea that innovation can be controlled or produced on demand. People and companies are placed in the fortress, therefore the Government is stating that those inside are the chosen ones, they were handpicked to be industry leaders in safety, care, and innovation; this is a flawed notion. There is no way to adequately predict who will be the “Bill Gates” of...
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...Ethical Healthcare Issues Paper Robert Cordero HCS/545 May 23, 2011 Richard Nordahl Ethical Healthcare Issues Paper There are numerous ethical healthcare issues that current affect our society. This one is at the forefront of what makes us a society, the ability to reproduce. One of the most important things for most couples who unite is to start a family. Children make up an important part of our society by ensuring that our species continues to evolve. The majority of couples accomplish this by reproducing by sexual intercourse or naturally, but this is not always the case as some couples have trouble conceiving. Also, same sex couples and single women who may chose to have a child without a partner cannot reproduce this way, thus requiring alternate methods in order to conceive a child and reproduce. Artificial insemination is a process that doctors might suggest for couples who have trouble conceiving a biological child. The process requires that the husband’s, partner’s, or donor sperm be placed directly in the female’s reproductive tract. Donor sperm is used if the partner’s or husband’s sperm count is too low or in the case of same sex couples or single females trying to conceive without a partner (Baxamusa, 2011). The doctor monitors a woman’s ovulation cycle and once the best day is determined semen is placed directly on the reproductive tract and the waiting period begins to see if fertilization occurs. There are several procedures used to artificially...
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...The Ethical Issue Stated In this case, there are conflicting responsibilities and loyalties. The medical team feels strongly that the patient (Sarah) has a mental illness that requires hospitalization to ensure her safety. Although she is not agreeable to psychiatric admission, Sarah has demonstrated significant acts of self-harm and has lost the ability in her situational stress, mood disorder, and intoxicated state to make decisions that are in her best interest. She is clearly a danger to herself, and in good faith the medical team feels that it is their duty to provide services that will protect and rehabilitate the patient, Sarah. The nurse feels as if she needs to advocate for the patient’s best interests. However, there is always...
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...Web based healthcare and its need are growing as quickly as technology. Many people are turning to web based healthcare for ease of access and the swiftness of the consultation. Because of the recent interest in web based healthcare, many leading healthcare institutions and law makers are redefining what it means to be a patient and the provider of care. Many believe that there are certain privacy concerns with medical assistance through the internet, and web based locations. The main concern comes from, what many refer to as “hackers”, or individuals using the web to find and dig up information regarding individuals. Meaning that someone’s private medical record and personal information is now all going to be in one place and someone could...
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...The Summary Paper Legal/Ethics Issues In The Health Care Business BUS670 Rhunda Mitchell Instructor Little 10/24/11 More than any other industry, it is in the healthcare business that ethics are of utmost importance. This is because, people in this industry deal with such situations and circumstances, everyday, which have a direct bearing on another person's life. In this paper one will discuss the ethical/legal issues which are faced by the healthcare industry as a nurse, and ethical issues in healthcare, pertaining to both management and medical research and give suggestion on how to handle each situation in hand. Ethical/ Legal Issues as A Nurse: Nurses are subject to a wide range of legal, ethical and professional duties which can be very challenging. These duties are generally considered to be to respect a patient’s confidentiality and autonomy and to recognize the duty of care that is owed to all patients. As a nurse their duties have to be always professional, because there are legal implications if these duties are breached. They also must consider when it is okay as a nurse to breach these duties and therefore ethical issues arise. Ethics is a set of moral and practical guideline that influences nursing decisions big and small. One of the main priorities of a nurse is to advocate for their patients a nurse expresses and defends the cause of their patient, nurses are expected to protect their patients’ rights. Patients’ rights can vary from...
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...Ethical Self-Assessment Paper Name HCS 545 Due Date Instructors Name Abstract Ethics are paramount to the healthcare management field, and the American College of Healthcare Executives has undertaken a number of initiatives to demonstrate the organization's commitment to ethics and support its members in making ethical decisions. (ACHE, 2013). This paper will examine the influence of individual ethics on decision making within the health care industry. It will discuss what the self-assessment taught me about my own ethical decision making, the effect of professional ACHE standards on my own ethical decision making, how individual ethics influence my decision making, and what strategies I can adopt to improve my ethical decision making in the future. Self-assessment Results The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) offers a self-assessment in which you examine yourself enabling you to learn more about yourself. The self-assessment is not a scoring assessment and therefor requires each individual to recognize the areas in which they have strong ethics, and areas that may need improvement. Any questions answered with “always” identified an area of potential weakness where ethics could be compromised. The self-assessment enabled me to see my strengths and weaknesses so that I could identify the areas in need of improvement. ACHE Standards ACHE standards have been established to help educate healthcare professionals regarding ethical decision making....
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...Ethical decision making is required when the healthcare executive must address a conflict or uncertainty regarding competing values, such as personal, organizational, professional and societal values. Those involved in this decision-making process must consider ethical principles including justice, autonomy, beneficence and nonmaleficence as well as professional and organizational ethical standards and codes. Many factors have contributed to the growing concern in healthcare organizations over ethical issues, including issues of access and affordability, pressure to reduce costs, mergers and acquisitions, financial and other resource constraints, and advances in medical technology that complicate decision making near the end of life. Healthcare executives have a responsibility to address the growing number of complex ethical dilemmas they are facing, but they cannot and should not make such decisions alone or without a sound decision-making framework. Healthcare organizations should have mechanisms that may include ethics committees, ethics consultation services, and written policies, procedures and guidelines to assist them with the ethics decision-making process. With these organizational mechanisms and guidelines in place, conflicting interests involving patients, families, caregivers, the organization, payors and the community can be thoughtfully and appropriately reviewed. It is incumbent upon healthcare executives to lead in a manner that sets an ethical tone for their...
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... Administrative Ethics Paper The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing has a current article named “Caring for Patients While Respecting Their Privacy: Renewing Our Commitment”. The basis of the article concerns the ethical and legal issues concerning the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” otherwise known as (HIPPA). This law has impacted the healthcare industry and the way in which healthcare workers conduct themselves with patients, their families, and with one another. In nursing the importance of confidentiality has always been the forefront of patient care. The current Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANA,2001) is clear in its intent and meaning as it relates to the nurses primary role in promoting and advocating patient’s rights relating to privacy and confidentiality. Every nurse has always understood the need for patient confidentiality even before (HIPPA) was law. Truth being with advanced technology, new demands in healthcare, and recent developments in the world at large has made it more difficult to keep this promise. But keep it they must. As healthcare workers on any given day we hear and see private and confidential information, it is our duty to protect it. On occasion we do become comfortable with patient’s medical information that it can be easy to forget that as healthcare workers how important it is to keep information secure and private. Thus, a recommended solution to this issue is to recap the -privacy section of the “Health Insurance...
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...Phoenix Send to: Oleathia King@bellsouth.net Subject: Types of Laws and Ethical Issues. Dear. Oleathia It has come to my attention that you are wanting to pursue a manager career in HealthCare. Which I have founded myself working in the healthcare industry for more than 20 years, to be an amazing career. Not only will you earn a good salary. You will enjoy job security. You will be doing the kind of work that interests you. You can live and work anywhere you want because, hospitals and other types of healthcare facilities are in almost every region of the United States. You can find a health career that fits your educational plans, you can learn hand on experience, you will have a clear path to advancement, not only do you get to work with people that are sick or dying you get to make a difference in their lives. The healthcare industry has many scholarships, financial aid programs, grants and student loans that can help you pay for going back school also. However, Otheathia, these are some of the benefit in pursuing a manager career in HealthCare. But there are other things to be knowledgeable about when pursuing a manager career in HealthCare. For example; knowing the differences between laws and ethics in health care. According to, (Week Three, (2016) Weekly Overview), there are a difference between ethical and legal behaviors. Just because something is legal does not make it ethical. For example, the sale of human organs is legal in some countries, but...
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...Running Head: LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES 1 Legal and Ethical Issues Herzing College Online U7A1: MBA 663-8: Health Insurance and Managed Care LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES Legal and Ethical Issues The current landscape of the healthcare industry changes rapidly with new rules and regulations, placing many healthcare insurance and managed care organizations in jeopardy of litigation because of legal and ethical issues. Controversy surrounds the healthcare industry because of the decisions made by managed care organizations regarding patient treatment and payment to providers. The following examines the legal and ethical issues surrounding the everchanging healthcare insurance and managed care organizations. Managed Care Conflict The problem facing managed care organizations and health insurance is the inherent conflict with their goal of cost containment by reducing service utilization, with the healthcare delivery system that places the patient’s health first (Kongstvedt, 2013). According to Saunier (2011), the definition of managed care is: 2 Processes or techniques used by any entity that delivers, administers and / or assumes risk for health services in order to control or influence the quality, accessibility, utilization, costs and prices, or outcomes of such services provided to a defined population. (Saunier, 2011, p. 22) Saunier (2011) describes the purpose of these organizations that manage care is the control of costs by “implementing aggressive cost containment...
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...views on certain issues. In the healthcare field many nurses will encounter ethical issues which may place themselves in a dilemma. “Ethics is that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.” (Ethics, 2014). A nurse or healthcare worker might have personal values that get in the way for a patient to receive the adequate care they require. Sometimes having personal values become an important factor in the nursing practice. A nurse’s personal, cultural, and spiritual values contribute to practice in nursing. In nursing school students learns about different types of ethical principles that is applied to their nursing practice. The students are taught a specialized body of knowledge, standards of their practice, and how to deal with different individuals according to their selected professional. “The nurse, in a professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems” (ANA, 2008). In the nursing field the nurse is expected to deliver good care, respect the patients and their decisions even if the nurse thinks it will affect them negatively. Working in an acute unit I have deal with many ethical issues. One ethical issue I have deal...
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