ETHICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ETHICS - Essay Example This is because the patients have knowledge that their health professional will protect the information, which they disclose (Buppert, 2011). Full revelation of patients’ medical background and condition enables physicians to diagnose the ailments of their clients. In addition, the patients receive the correct treatment. However, dilemmas around confidentiality when it privacy conflicts with ethical principles such as avoiding danger to patients and public. Therefore, there are exceptions, which compels health professional to breach the confidentiality. To start with, a breach of confidentiality occurs when health professional feel that the actions of their patients can put the public at risk. Second, health professionals can release patients’ information if they think it can cause harm to their clients. It is possible for patients with severe medical condition such as HPV and HIV AIDS to contemplate committing suicide. Lastly, physicians can expose patient’s inf ormation when in order to get the right follow- up of their medical condition (Buppert, 2011). The breach of confidence has serious ethical implications. To begin with, breach of confidence stigmatizes patients. With knowledge that certain patients have a particular disease, the public is bound to segregate such a sick people. Segregation can direct patients to commit repugnant actions such as committing suicide. ... Second, revealing patients’ medical information fosters disrespect. The basis of relationship between patients and health professionals is respect and trust. The two virtues allow sick people to share their medical information freely with the health care providers. Therefore, when the medical professionals violate the confidentiality deal depicts disregard of patients’ autonomy (Guido and Watson, 2010). This can lead to mistrust of patients in health professionals. This is because patients feel that health care givers have broken the promise they had with them. Third, ethical matters may compel health professionals to disclose patients’ medication information. For instance, in cases of severe diseases such as HIV AIDS, physicians may make it public that a particular patient suffers from a deadly disease. This will enable the sex partners of such a patient to take actions to know their status and minimize the risks of infections. In addition, revelations of patien ts’ information deter affected patients form infecting future sexual partners. Weighing the ethical implication of the patients and the public, I believe that it is sometimes prudent to disclose patients, medical conditions. This is because of the dangers, which lack of disclosure may bring to the public. The action of breach of confidentiality borrows a lot from the theory of consequentialism. This theory considers the consequences of breaching and failure to breach confidentiality. In one hand, the contravening confidentiality may make patients lose trust in health professionals. This can limit patients’ freedom ton access health care in future. On the other hand, failure to disclose patients’ medical condition may deny parties important information that would have detrimental implications