Paternalism In Healthcare

The Canadian Health Information Management Association Code of Ethics outlines a powerful standard for Health Information Management Professionals. When one becomes a member of CHIMA along comes the responsibility of following the code of ethics as faithfully and professionally as possible. Although the interpretation of the guidelines can vary among individuals and organizations, the basis and underlying meaning of each code should be synonymous. The ten codes set general expectations for HIM professionals that help the public understand the ethical views of CHIMA. With these ethics in place we are able to decrease the number of breaches, improve data quality and encourage lifelong learning. There are a number of breaches that occur in healthcare settings that go unreported on a daily basis. The reason for these cases going unreported could be the lack of knowledge of severity and consequences, or have a malicious intent. The case study is a definite breach of the CHIMA code of ethics- and could fall into numbers 1-10, but in my opinion is more relevant to numbers 2-3, 5-7 and 9. Jane should have acted in a more proactive manner reflecting CHIMA values and informed the appropriate individuals so that they correct actions could be made.

Health care has gone through a huge change since the advent of technology. This resulted in a corresponding high health cost. A third party, the insurer stepped in to help customers; patients overcome the high cost of health care. This meant measuring cost against service, demanding the details of services rendered to the patient. This in a way a patient’s information is given out to the insurer as per legal contracts signed in the agreement. This poses deep ethical challenges because even beyond management, other workers access the information when making inputs. Patients strictly have rights to keep secrete their medical problems between them and their health providers. The necessity to get help to buy health care however has made it impossible for patients to have their autonomy in that regard.

In the health care business, there are certain standards and laws that have been put in place to protect our patients and their personal health information. When a health care facility fails to protect their patient’s confidential information, the US Government may get involved and facilities may be forced to pay huge sums of money in fines, and risk damaging their reputation.

The medical industrial complex (MIC) holds many influences in the care of women, especially poor marginalized women. MIC is simply a platform of the network among corporations that supply health care services and products to make money. Oparah and Bonaparte explain how the individual’s ability to pay determines the quality of care they receive (Oparah & Bonaparte, 2015, pg. 4). In relations to birthing, hospitals aren’t a place for an intimate connection between a woman that’s about to give birth and their newborns. It’s more of a time efficiency center where doctors (mainly white men) would purposely perform cesarean deliveries to not only save time, but to make a

This paper will look at the impact of Affordable Care Act on supply and demand in healthcare. The goal is to show if there is equilibrium of supply and demand since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. This has been done by looking at a variety of articles such as The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on the Health Care Workforce. The Affordable Care Act has created provisions to address some of the supply shortages. Through the provision it will take time for the full effects to come to light. This paper will provide valuable information regarding the Affordable Care Act impact on supply and demand.

Goldman’s critique of medical paternalism demonstrates the right for patient autonomy and decision to choose a treatment best suited to their needs and interests. Initially, physicians would not announce any form of cancer to their patients, as it was believed to result in physiological distress. Luckily, medical paternalism continues to be rejected in medical situations; the topics of outcomes research, scientific evidence, and court decisions help correct patient decisions on the best treatment.

This article has shown how different issues relating to patient privacy can be tricky. There is always the question about what the right thing is to do but there are laws and regulations

The truth is that transparency in the delivery of health care means completely different things to different people. Consumers, physicians, and providers all have different views as to what transparency would do to benefit or degrade the health care system. There have been numerous studies completed, and articles written, about how the lack of transparency in health care is negatively impacting the delivery of quality care. Many individuals in the past who work in

Health care professionals are subject to a multitude of professional, legal, and ethical responsibilities which call for personal judgment to be utilized in such a manner as to protect clients as well as public wellness and interests. Overall considerations in handling such duties may be considered to be respect of a client’s autonomy, confidence, and recognition of obligations owed to all clients. While the aforementioned acts fall within the professional realm, there are also legal implications that guide care. Therefore, it can be said that ethical considerations occur in observation of legal responsibilities. Confidential information is perceived as private facts which are disclosed with the

“Professional integrity derives its substance from the fundamental goals or mission of the profession” (Wakin, 1996, para. 15). Meaning to say, individuals seek for a professional’s valued and ethical advice to which the professional holds their responsibility to maintain and exceeds the level of their expertise. For example, a general practitioner will treat a variety of patients, from all different walks of life with a plethora of different problems. It is their duty to diagnose and treat the patient to the best of their professional ability without prejudice. Another aspect of their duties is the principle of patient confidentiality. Medical professionals are legally bound to not divulge any information provided to them by their patients.

In this paper, I will discuss the principles that permit disclosure of protected health information with or without the patient’s consent for each of the four categories, government agencies, legal agencies or representatives and research groups. I will also state whether I feel privacy safeguards are adequate to support those principles.

Privacy and confidentiality are basic rights in our society. Safeguarding those rights, with respect to an individual’s personal health information, is our ethical and legal obligation as health care providers. Doing so in today’s health care environment is increasingly challenging (OJIN, 2005).

There are many regulations healthcare providers face in challenges. One is HIPAA which governs how providers disclose protected health

The first principle is that with very few exceptions, health care information about a consumer should be disclosed for health purposes only. The information should be easy to use for those purposes, and very difficult to use otherwise. The second principle is that technical security safeguards be maintained for computerized data. Including audit trails that identify who accessed the data and the prosecution against anyone who used the records for illegal or improper purposes. The third principle is consumer access. The patient should have ability to access his or her records and know others that also have access to them. Patients should be aware of the laws, regulations, and policies that protect their information. The fourth policy is defined as accountability, which is of relation to security and consumer control. Fines and imprisonment are required to those who breach security of personal health information. The final policy is public responsibility. Legislation must be balanced between personal, private interests and national priorities of public health, research, and law enforcement. The excessive flow of information, without patient authorization, is essential to the immediate discovery and investigation in public health crisis. AHIMA's acknowledgement of these five principles are abroad outline of a sensible public policy that balances personal privacy

Other concerns are conversations within the hospital cafeterias/lobbies about patients and their families, and employees sharing information throughout the hallways without a “need to know.” Once employees discover their colleagues looking at patient information without a “need to know basis,” and, other wrong doings according to the agency’s standards, their own sense of what is right and wrong instantly comes into question. Reporting the unethical behavior, the employee who had discovered the violations of patient rights is presented with a number of difficult choices. The legal basis for imposing liability for a breach of confidentiality is more extensive than ethical guidelines, which dictate the morally right thing to do.