Essay Sample on Health Records: A Key to Efficiency in the Health Sector

This chapter shows us the significance of health records. For efficiency in the health sector, a hospital can introduce an electronic health record (EHR) (Flight & Pardew, 2018). An EHR is a system that contains all the information about a patient and can be accessed across a network by authorized personnel in a hospital. The information captured in the EHR is owned by the patient but once it is documented electronically the health care provider becomes the custodian of the data. The health care provider is under obligation to give the health information whenever he wants it. Exchange of health information is pivotal and should be carried out with diligence as there are laws that govern who and how data is released. The health care provider has to abide by set rules to ensure confidentiality the patient is maintained.

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Introduction to Ethics

This chapter looks at how medical practitioners should carry themselves while attending to patients. One learns how ethics is a key component in the medical profession. Ethics entails how the actions impact how they serve and interact with patients while executing our duties as professionals. An ethical dilemma might crop up while one is doing his daily routines which require an immediate response (Flight & Pardew, 2018). Here one chooses to follow what is good for a patient and what a reasonable human will do. One can use the three rule engagement when making a decision. Firstly, private gain rule. One has to ask the question of who is benefiting from the decision being made. If it is at the expense of another individual one has to evaluate his decision. Secondly, what are the benefits and if they outweigh its burdens. Lastly, is it the usual norm to do whatever the action? The way a doctor interacts with her wife is more of personal ethics. It deals without day to day character. It is different from the way the doctor will interact with the wife if she is a patient. The doctor will now employ professional ethics in this juncture.

Laws and Ethics of Patient Confidentiality

This chapter looks at privacy and confidentiality and states how important they are. Privacy is a constitutional right that is accorded to an individual by the State. As such a medical practitioner can be sued if individual personal information is disclosed to unauthorized individuals (Flight & Pardew, 2018). It is the duty of medical personnel not to release information about a patient without his consent. If the doctor does not abide by this professional standard his liable to disciplinary action. Privileged information bars doctors from releasing any information about the health of an individual to any legal proceedings. The laws of the State determines what is deemed to be privileged. Trust is critical and the foundation of medical assistance. If a patient does not trust the doctor he will not be free information about his illness.

Professional Ethics and the Living

This chapter looks at the duties of medical bodies and the statutes they have laid out for their members to follow while executing their duties. Firstly, we have the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) that is set out the ethical codes and standards that its members should abide by (Flight & Pardew, 2018). The organization sets out rules that every medical assistance should strive to render greater service while maintaining ethics to the profession. Furthermore, one should be loyal to his employer and work with passion and determination. The American Medical Technologists (AMT) endeavor to put the patients' needs first while offering services of high standards. The Nuremberg Code is pivotal to protect doctors from researching human beings without their consent.

Birth and the Beginning of Life

This chapter shows as to how technology is incorporated at the beginning of life it can improve efficiency. But there are also some controversies associated with an adaption of technology. An example is genetics research. There are ethical issues regarding it and it is not fully accepted in all quarters (Flight & Pardew, 2018). There are also issues like giving adolescents the freedom to make medical decisions. Patient autonomy and thus children should also be allowed to make decisions.

Death and Dying

This last chapter looks at death and how individuals view death depending on their culture and religion. In case of death, there are the stakeholders who are supposed to be told about the death. They include the family, government offices and the police (Flight & Pardew, 2018). A patient depending on the State can decide to end his life if he is suffering and his wishes must be respected. The death of patients can have an emotional impact on the health caregiver and guiding counseling services should be given.

Reference

Flight, M., & Pardew, W. (2018). Law, liability, and ethics for medical office professionals (6th Ed.). Cengage.