What Are the Ethical Obligations of a Licensed Doctor?

A licensed doctor is bound by a set of ethical obligations that govern their professional conduct and ensure the safety, trust, and well-being of their patients. These ethical standards are integral to maintaining the integrity of the medical profession. They help to build a strong doctor-patient relationship and ensure that medical care is delivered with the highest standards of professionalism, compassion, and respect for the individual’s rights.

Key Ethical Obligations of a Licensed Doctor:

1. Patient-Centered Care:

• Duty to Provide Quality Care: Doctors have an ethical obligation to provide the highest standard of care to their patients. This includes using their skills, knowledge, and experience to ensure effective treatment and the best possible outcomes.
• Non-Discrimination: Doctors must treat every patient with respect and dignity, without discrimination based on factors like race, gender, religion, social status, or economic background.

2. Confidentiality:

• Maintaining Patient Privacy: A doctor is ethically required to maintain strict confidentiality regarding all personal and medical information shared by a patient. This is critical for building trust and ensuring that patients feel comfortable sharing sensitive details.
• Limits to Confidentiality: While confidentiality is paramount, a doctor must also recognize the legal limits, such as when there is a risk of harm to the patient or others (e.g., cases of infectious diseases or violent threats).

3. Informed Consent:

• Transparency in Treatment: A doctor must ensure that patients understand the nature of their medical condition, the proposed treatments, and any potential risks or benefits. This requires obtaining informed consent before performing any medical procedures or treatments.
• Autonomy and Respect for Decisions: It’s the doctor’s ethical duty to respect a patient’s right to make decisions about their health, including the right to accept or decline treatment.

4. Professional Integrity:

• Honesty and Transparency: A doctor must practice with integrity, providing truthful information to patients, colleagues, and authorities. Misrepresentation of qualifications, treatments, or results is considered unethical.
• Avoiding Conflicts of Interest: A doctor should avoid situations where their personal interests, financial incentives, or relationships with pharmaceutical companies influence their professional decisions or compromise patient care.

5. Non-Harm and Beneficence:

• Primum Non Nocere (First, Do No Harm): This fundamental ethical principle requires doctors to avoid causing harm to patients. All actions taken should prioritize patient welfare, ensuring that medical interventions are safe and necessary.
• Beneficence: Doctors must actively seek to improve their patients' health and well-being, ensuring that any treatment plan serves the best interest of the patient.

6. Continuing Education and Competence:

• Lifelong Learning: Doctors have an ethical duty to keep their medical knowledge and skills up to date through continuing medical education (CME). This ensures that they remain competent and provide evidence-based care.
• Seeking Expertise: If a doctor is faced with a case outside their area of expertise, they are ethically obligated to refer the patient to a specialist or seek a second opinion.

7. Respect for Autonomy:

• Respecting Patient Choices: A doctor should recognize the autonomy of their patients in making decisions regarding their health. This involves providing adequate information and supporting the patient’s right to make decisions in line with their values and preferences.

8. Professionalism in Interactions:

• Respectful Doctor-Patient Relationship: The doctor should foster a relationship of mutual respect with their patients, ensuring open communication, trust, and empathy. The doctor should also interact professionally with colleagues and healthcare teams.
• Empathy and Compassion: A doctor should demonstrate empathy, understanding, and compassion, recognizing the emotional, social, and psychological aspects of patient care.

9. Ethical Responsibility to Society:

• Public Health Obligations: Doctors have an ethical responsibility to protect the health and safety of society. This includes reporting communicable diseases, preventive care, and promoting public health initiatives.
• Advocacy for Health Justice: Doctors should advocate for healthcare access, equity, and fair treatment for all individuals, particularly the marginalized or underserved populations.

Example:

Dr. A, a general practitioner, saw a patient, Mr. B, who was diagnosed with a serious illness requiring surgery. Dr. A provided Mr. B with clear and detailed information about the surgical procedure, including the risks and benefits. Dr. A also made sure that Mr. B had time to ask questions and fully understand his options before proceeding with surgery. After receiving informed consent, Dr. A proceeded with the surgery, which was successful. Throughout the process, Dr. A maintained confidentiality and showed empathy and professionalism, ensuring that Mr. B felt cared for and respected at every stage of treatment.