Health Care - Legal and Ethical Issues

Introduction

Health care organization is dedicated in providing health care services and products. These also include health care equipment, services, life sciences and pharmaceuticals. The various sectors which are associated with these groups include diagnostics, biotechnology, drug manufacturers and hospitals. Health care services vary from country to country but in US it is mainly associated with human health activities, dental practice activities as well as medical activities. Health care is strongly associated with ethical and legal issues and hold utmost importance in this industry (Friedman, 3-30). This is mainly because health care industry is observed with varying situations and conditions that are unique and directly related to another person's life. These considerations make it mandatory for the healthcare institutions to have formal ethical and legal policies and codes of conduct to concern and balance out the interests of all the parties and the organizations itself. One of the most important ethical and legal issues is the protection of information about the patient; patient's confidentiality is a legal obligation on the part of the health care professionals which is crucial to maintain in this industry. It is the most important factor to maintain trust of patients in the health care system of the country and do not deter the seeking treatment in the fear that their personal information may be disclosed without their consent (Agyapong et al, 93-96). The paper aims to discuss the ethical and legal considerations and approaches to ethico-legal decision making in the context of a case concerning ethical and legal dilemma.

Case summary

I shall begin discussing a case of my own personal experience about a woman entering the emergency room faced with crucial stomach pain and on inspection and CT scan; she is diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm. Aortic aneurysm refers to the weakening of the aorta walls leading it to stretch and bulge. The physicians inform her about the situation clearly and recommend that the only way to it is surgically yet, with the survival ratio of 50/50 and also that time is of the essence, and that should the aneurysm burst, she would be no more in the few short minutes. The woman refuses for the surgery as she fears that the surgery will leave a scar that would negatively affect her work. The physicians on their part kept advising and pressuring but she obstinately refused for any kind of surgical treatment. The woman even shared her life circumstances and condition relating to multiple perverse sexual practices on her part accompanied with exhibiting in the public places and performing restrictive unsocial acts for sexual stimulation.

Ethical and Legal Considerations

The physician after constant efforts reached the conclusion that the woman is not in her correct state of mind to make astute decision. The surgeons decided to surgically restore the aneurysm knowing that the time is of essence. The woman underwent surgery without the consent and fortunately survives but sued the hospital for millions of dollars.With regards to personal information regarding the patient, the ...