Current Ethical Quandaries in Health Care

Current Ethical Quandaries in Health Care

  • Submitted By: LastSon76
  • Date Submitted: 05/12/2015 6:42 PM
  • Category: Science
  • Words: 3149
  • Page: 13

Current Ethical Quandaries in Health Care


Abstract
There are numerous issues in modern healthcare with ethical implications. This paper will discuss the following three issues that are at the forefront of current discussions: shortage in organ donation and possible solutions, physician assisted suicide in the right to death arguments and whether it should be allowed, and medication cost in the United States, and what should be done about it. The discussion will include the current state of the topic as it relates to ethics, where the ethical decisions may or may not be falling short, and what possible solutions exist.
Keywords: organ donation, medication pricing, right to death, assisted suicide, incentives vs disincentives
Current Ethical Quandaries in Health Care
Like all industries, healthcare is full of the opportunities to make decisions. In healthcare however, we have the unique challenge of facing ethical challenges with nearly every decision that has to be made. The simple fact that healthcare providers have knowledge that the patients don’t give them incredible power over their lives. And as a great (fictional) hero once said – “with great power comes great responsibility”. Now, Spider-Man (and Stan Lee, the writer who came up with the line) wasn’t speaking of healthcare at the time, but when we’re making decisions that will save, end, or permanently change lives, can there be a greater amount of power and responsibility to be had?
In today’s globally connected society, ethical decision making has more potential hurdles than ever before. In our nation’s past some choices (abortion and right to death to name just two) were made by a society that was much more culturally and morally cohesive. Today’s United States is more diverse than ever and these differences must be respected even when not understood or agreed with. Thus it is more important and more difficult than ever for healthcare team members to make the “right” choice. Fortunately,...

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