Weekly Paper 6
In this week’s discussion in class the topic of healthcare laws and ethics were discussed. Healthcare ethics and legislation are critical to safeguarding patients' well-being, protecting healthcare providers, and preserving the integrity of the healthcare system. These principles drive
healthcare practitioners' and organizations' conduct and decision-making. With healthcare ethics,
its all about respecting the rights and choices of patients but also making sure that they have been
informed of the procedure and the risks that may come with doing certain procedures. Informed consent is a fundamental aspect, ensuring patients have adequate information to make decisions about their care. Promoting the well-being of patients and providing care that benefits them. Balancing benefits and risks to optimize patient outcomes. Patient confidentiality is also a fundamental part of the ethical principle in healthcare. Healthcare providers need to keep patient information confidential and not disclose anything to anyone without the patient’s consent. There
are exceptions however where disclosure is required during law enforcement investigations or public health reasons. There are also ethics when it comes to medical research. Ethical considerations in healthcare extend to research when involving human subjects. The institutional Review Boards ensure that research involving humans follow protocol and certain ethical guidelines that safeguard their rights and well-being. Healthcare practitioners are required to understand these ethical concepts as well as legal standards in order to offer compassionate and ethical treatment to their patients while following to applicable laws and regulations. If medical professionals do not follow, violate, or understand these ethical laws, then they may be subjected
to encountering malpractice, or even getting involved with the authorities.
