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Case Reviews I
Discuss cases in the context of:
Class lectures Textbook Other assigned readings Life experiences
Case Reviews II
Describe the legal aspects of the case. When given, do you agree with the courts decision? Explain your answer. Describe the ethical issues of the case. Describe how ones professional code of ethics applies.
Case Reviews IV
Describe how ones own values, beliefs, religion, education, & life experiences impact decisions. Describe how financial concerns can affect the decision-making process. Describe how corporate culture can affect the decision-making process (e.g., elective abortions in a catholic hospital).
Conducting Consultations I
Ethics consultations may be called to
clarify ethical issues facilitate discussion of an ethical dilemma resolve an ethical dispute.
Conducting Consultations II
The consultation mechanism may be through
an ethics committee a subset of the committee individual consultants consultation teams
Conducting Consultations IV
All persons are treated with respect for their individual beliefs. Judgments based on ones personal beliefs & biases must be avoided.
Case 1: Misdiagnosis
Mr. Jones arrived in the ER complaining of minor chest pains & numbness in his right arm. Jones is an undocumented alien and has no insurance. Mr. Jones believes he had strained his left arm playing ball with some friends earlier that day. After the game Mr. Jones and a few of his fellow players had lunch at the Fishy Spoon restaurant where he had a tuna fish sandwich, which he thought had a strange taste. Following a brief examination, the physician sent Mr. Jones home suggesting that he take some tums. Mr. Jones passed away in his sleep during the night.
2. Breach of Duty
Based on the evidence presented, the jury determined that the ED physician did not perform an adequate examination based on the patients complaints.
Case 2: Dad is OK
I was visiting with dad & observed that he was experiencing severe difficulty breathing. He reluctantly allowed me to take him to the hospital ED. He was examined by the ED physician, who had ordered chest x-rays. A few hours later the ED physician came to me in the waiting area & said the chest x-rays showed that dad had emphysema. He then went on to say that it is people like my dad who tie up the emergency room delaying treatment for more serious patients. Happy to hear my dad would be OK, I ignored the physicians comments.
Had there been no notification to dad as to the spot on his lung & his life shortened, there would be grounds for a lawsuit.
Patient Dumping
Prosecutors filed criminal charges against a major hospital accusing it of dumping a homeless patient suffering from dementia on the city's crime-plagued Skid Row. General Hospital is among 10 under investigation for allegedly discharging homeless patients onto the streets instead of into the custody of a relative or shelter.
Discuss the legal & ethical issues of this scenario.