A micro ethical and macro ethical dilemma that might occur in health care organizations.

Sample Solution

It's important to understand the distinction between micro and macro ethical dilemmas in healthcare:

• Micro-ethical dilemmas focus on individual patient-provider interactions.
• Macro-ethical dilemmas address broader societal and organizational issues.  

Here's a breakdown with examples:

Micro-Ethical Dilemma:

• Description:
  • A micro-ethical dilemma occurs when a healthcare professional faces a conflict between their ethical obligations to an individual patient and other competing factors. This often involves decisions made at the bedside or in a clinical setting.
• Example:
  • A physician knows that a patient's family wishes to withhold a terminal diagnosis. However, the physician believes that the patient has a right to know their condition to make informed decisions about their care. This creates a conflict between respecting family wishes and upholding patient autonomy.

Full Answer Section

• Legal Case Law Relevance:
  • Cases related to informed consent highlight the importance of patient autonomy. For example, cases establishing the principle of informed consent, reinforce the idea that patients have the right to make decisions about their own care. This can be seen in cases that have helped establish the legal precedent for informed consent, which while evolving, has had a profound effect on patient autonomy. The Canterbury v. Spence case is a well known example of this. This case helped to define the scope of a physicians duty to disclose information to a patient.

Macro-Ethical Dilemma:

• Description:
  • A macro-ethical dilemma involves ethical issues that affect entire populations or healthcare systems. These dilemmas often relate to resource allocation, public health policies, and access to care.
• Example:
  • During a pandemic, a hospital must decide how to allocate a limited number of ventilators. This creates a macro-ethical dilemma regarding distributive justice, as decisions must be made about which patients receive life-saving treatment.  
• Legal Case Law Relevance:
  • Laws and court cases related to emergency preparedness and public health emergencies are relevant. For example, during a public health emergency, states may invoke emergency powers that allow them to allocate resources and implement public health measures. These powers are often subject to legal challenges that balance public health needs with individual rights. Laws regarding the allocation of medicare and medicaid funding also play a large role in macro ethical decisions.  

Key Considerations:

• Ethical dilemmas in healthcare are complex and often involve competing values and principles.  
• Legal frameworks provide guidance, but ethical decision-making often requires careful consideration of individual circumstances.
• It is important to remember that ethical guidelines, and legal precedents are constantly evolving.