Medical Futility in End-of-Life Care

Article Abstract:

The American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs recommends that all hospitals develop a medical futility policy and use an approach similar to one described. Medical futility refers to treatments for critically ill patients that probably will have no benefit. The problem occurs when the patient's family disagrees with this assessment. It is preferable to resolve these discrepancies without going to court. A seven-step sample procedure for resolving discrepancies between doctors and family members is presented. Doctors should also be careful not to claim medical futility just to ration care or save resources.

Terminal care, Refusal to treat (Medicine)

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Crisis, ethics, and the American Medical Association: 1847 and 1997

Article Abstract:

The US medical profession is facing a crisis as big as the one faced in 1847. At that time, physicians were not required to be licensed and some physicians felt the profession was suffering as a result. To resolve this dilemma, a group of physicians formed the American Medical Association and developed a strict Code of Ethics. This was one of the first professional ethics codes in the country. However, the arrival of managed care in the 1990's has placed corporate executives in charge of many health care plans. These executives are often unimpressed by the AMA Code of Ethics.

Editorial, History, American Medical Association, Managed care plans (Medical care), Medical ethics

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Medical professionalism in society

Article Abstract:

There are three core elements to professionalism that doctors can adopt in a managed care environment: devotion to medical service, a profession of values, and negotiation of priorities. Doctors operating within this model of professionalism, doctors can participate in various degrees of activism. The most basic form of activism is acting as the patient's advocate. Doctors may have to speak out against managed care policies that are not in the patient's best interest. The opposite end of the activism spectrum is deliberately disobeying a law.

Analysis, Physicians, Medical professions, Professional ethics

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