Hello, though this is my very first post here, I'm already asking for your help but I do need it. English isn't my native language. My spoken English is pretty good but I'm not comfortable with writing in English but I need to learn how to do it. So, now I'm practicing some essay writing. I wrote this piece which looks pretty good to me but I'm not sure whether this is how it looks to others.
“Are there any circumstances where it would be ethical or lawful to lie to or withhold information from a patient?”
One thing that is sacred in the patient-doctor relationship is trust; additionally, honest dialogue between these two parties is vital for the delivery of effective care. Doctors should never engage in behavior that undermines the trust bestowed on them by their patients. Although full disclosure is not included in the Hippocratic Oath, there is a perception that physicians have a prima facie obligation not to be deceptive towards their patients.
Aspects of non-deceptiveness and openness are closely related, although significantly different; for example, a doctor that tells his patient that the placebo he is administering is a curative drug is being deceptive, whereas one that does not disclose all facts about his patient’s condition is not practicing openness. Besides administering medical care, physicians are required to be compassionate towards their patients, and in some instances, this may require withholding of information if the practitioner considers it detrimental to the patients’ recovery or quality of life.
Doctors have a legal obligation to disclose relevant information to their patients; however, some jurisdictions such as Oklahoma have created exceptions to this duty. In this state, physicians can fail to disclose to pregnant women that their fetuses have anomalies, a law that is aimed at reducing abortions. In addition to full disclosure on a patient’s condition, doctors are required to discuss all possible treatment methods and their ramifications before making a recommendation on one.
Patients have a right to be informed on what they are suffering from and the progressive symptoms of their conditions. Failure to disclose such information is unethical and in most instances unlawful. Doctors have the fiduciary duty to inform patients of any relevant health information, but this should be done with a tone of positivity. Nonetheless, physicians may delay delivery of such facts if they feel a patient’s health will be significantly affected.
Thanks
“Are there any circumstances where it would be ethical or lawful to lie to or withhold information from a patient?”
One thing that is sacred in the patient-doctor relationship is trust; additionally, honest dialogue between these two parties is vital for the delivery of effective care. Doctors should never engage in behavior that undermines the trust bestowed on them by their patients. Although full disclosure is not included in the Hippocratic Oath, there is a perception that physicians have a prima facie obligation not to be deceptive towards their patients.
Aspects of non-deceptiveness and openness are closely related, although significantly different; for example, a doctor that tells his patient that the placebo he is administering is a curative drug is being deceptive, whereas one that does not disclose all facts about his patient’s condition is not practicing openness. Besides administering medical care, physicians are required to be compassionate towards their patients, and in some instances, this may require withholding of information if the practitioner considers it detrimental to the patients’ recovery or quality of life.
Doctors have a legal obligation to disclose relevant information to their patients; however, some jurisdictions such as Oklahoma have created exceptions to this duty. In this state, physicians can fail to disclose to pregnant women that their fetuses have anomalies, a law that is aimed at reducing abortions. In addition to full disclosure on a patient’s condition, doctors are required to discuss all possible treatment methods and their ramifications before making a recommendation on one.
Patients have a right to be informed on what they are suffering from and the progressive symptoms of their conditions. Failure to disclose such information is unethical and in most instances unlawful. Doctors have the fiduciary duty to inform patients of any relevant health information, but this should be done with a tone of positivity. Nonetheless, physicians may delay delivery of such facts if they feel a patient’s health will be significantly affected.
Thanks
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