All practioners need to comply with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule (Fisher, 2013). The privacy rule gives rights to health professionals, as well as to their patients. Under the new law, psychologists can decide whether to release their psychotherapy notes to patients, unless patients would have access to their psychotherapy notes under state law (APA.org, 2010). Though the privacy rule does afford patients the right to access and inspect their health records, psychotherapy notes are treated differently: Patients do not have the right to obtain a copy of these under HIPAA. And when a psychologist denies a patient access to these notes, the denial isn't subject to a review process, as it is with other records.
Where clearly has brought a difficult situation to the healthcare team of the hospital raising ethical and legal issues in all aspects due to the fact that the parents of the pregnant teen have refused any assistance and the nurse assigned has complied silently. This scenario compromises patient safety and puts the minor and child in medical danger. Not only are the lives of the minor and the teen in danger but also it raises an ethical issue of the hospital and patients’ rights. It would make sense to attempt to provide all medical attention necessary to promote patient safety for the sake of the minor and unborn child but also it is important to evaluate the legal liability of the hospital to determine if the parents have all the rights and responsibility in decision making for their daughter. Therefore, treating all patients fairly is an ethical duty of the hospital and staff with respect to values and beliefs.
This act should be null and void, since a physician should not be allowed to deny aid to one in need. Even though the Hippocratic Oath is not taken up by all physicians, it still should be followed, since it contains guidelines of how to be a “good” physician. It states in the Hippocratic Oath that a physician is “to practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try and avoid harming them.” In other words, a physician must not harm a patient, whether it is making mistakes or denying them aid. When someone is in need of medical assistance, a physician should not deny it just because he does not want to. Their top priority as a doctor is to help others, and one is not helping someone by denying them aid.
Under federal and some state laws medical facilities need consent from patients or, in the event of incompetency of the patient, informed consent of the legal surrogate. The Supreme Court has not dealt with “quality of life issues” and appears to only condone active or passive “euthanasia” (not legally defined) when there is evidence that consent has been obtained from the competent patient or legal surrogate of an incompetent patient.There are many pros and cons to euthanasia and I feel that the pros outweigh the cons. The most debated are the moral, ethical, and rights issues. Some of these pros and cons argued are the right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating pain and embrace a
Mental Health Patient Rights vs. Neglect May 25, 2013 Mental Health Patient Rights vs. Neglect People with mental illness are a vulnerable section of society, whose decision-making capacities are affected by their disorders, so such patients may not seek or accept treatment for their problems (Cady, 2010). At the same time, recognizing and respecting rights of the patient with mental health disorders is essential for a health care provider, especially regarding the fact that evaluation and treatment of such patients can be “more coercive and less open to public awareness and accountability than the treatment of patients with other medical conditions” (Cady, 2010, p. 118). The issue of giving mental health patient rights is a rather controversial one, as often the right of the patient to refuse certain treatment or care may result in serious health consequences for the patient and can be seen as neglect of the healthcare provider.
First and foremost I would take extra precaution to ensure my computer screen and patient files weren’t visible to other patients. Second of all, when speaking with patients, it is imperative that I know my surroundings to make sure there are not other patients or unauthorized persons within earshot of myself and the patient I am speaking with. I also would not share any patient information with family members, friends, media or any other unauthorized medical professional without proper written consent from the patient. The consequences for breaching patient confidentiality can be serious. When a patients’ medical information is given to unauthorized persons, at the very least, the patient is most likely going to find another doctor or facility.
Dangers of Ineffective Communication Successful client health care is dependent on effective communication between both the client and health care professionals and amongst health care professionals. Care is client-centered and therefore individual; however, some generalities exist that affect the quality of care. Clear, concise communication is one such element. Effective communication between the client and the health care providers (HCPs) is important for everyone involved. If the client initially provides incomplete information to the HCPs, this could cause unnecessary diagnostic tests, or the exclusion of a necessary test, which could further contribute to a worsening of the client’s health status.
Although one ethical limitation of a counselor is that they are not able to prescribe medication, the counselor still plays a major role in the clients overall treatment, to include medication. The role of the counselor is to offer recommendations to the physician for medication use, constant consultation and screening of the client for the need for medication, monitoring and evaluation of effects of medication, education to clients and family members, and advocating for the client to the physician. It is also a counselor’s responsibility to inform the client of available treatment methods (King & Anderson, 2004). For example, if I am seeing a client for depression I would be legally responsible for informing the client about antidepressant medication used to treat depression in addition to possible counseling treatments to ensure the clients right to effective treatment. Because counselors are responsible for assisting physicians in ensuring the best possible care for the client, it is important that I familiarize myself with psychotropic medication.
Kjell Asplund and Mona Britton, authors of Ethics of life support in patients with severe stroke, argue that there is a specific protocol that should be followed in order to deal with the multitude of ethical complications coma patients introduce. I disagree with this argument, because I think that the quantification of one’s life is an inhumane and ineffective method of treating patients. As an idealistic student aspiring to pursue allopathic medicine, I believe that the field I immerse myself in should not be an environment bogged down with impediments to moral action. Instead of a rigid method, I think that a case-by-case method remains the most appropriate action for patients with severe brain malfunctions. Before we delve into the moral implications surrounding care for stroke patients, it is important to understand what a stroke is.
Patient Confidentiality: When Should It Be Compromised? Patient confidentiality is a person’s right to have their personal information kept private. Any medical data gathered from a patient should not be disclosed to anybody else without the patient’s permission. Confidentiality is a crucial part of the doctor-patient relationship. It is very important that a patient trust their doctor.