Practice Question of the Week: Ethical Concepts in Clinical informatics

clinical informatics

Ethics in informatics

generally accepted ethical qualities

• compassion
• kindness
• responsiveness
• thoughtfulness
• care for the patient

“Whatsoever house I may enter, my visit shall be for the convenience and advantage of the patient.”

primary ethical concepts

• Autonomy

Example:

• Beneficence / Nonmaleficence

Example:

• Best Interest Standard

Example:

• Fidelity

Example:

• Justice

Clinical Example:

• Rights

Example:

• Veracity

Autonomy

Fidelity

Rights

Example:

Question

1. Wait until the patient wakes up;
2. Make a decision in the best interests of the patient on his/her own;
3. Do nothing;
4. Sign a waiver of responsibility.

Answer and explanation

Resources and Additional Reading

Mental capacity, legal competence and consent to treatment.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1079581/

Medical decision making for the incompetent patient. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10285412

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