Laws and Ethics in Health Care - Essay Example

"Laws and Ethics in Health Care" is a perfect example of a paper on medical ethics. The health care system not only in the United States but universally has been encountered various issues in relation to legal and ethical issues. For example, HIV/AIDs is a significant health care issue that affects various people across all health care systems globally. Various salient features have been identified in relation to HIV/AIDs; for example, there is confidentiality where the health care providers are required by the legal system not to disclose the status of a patient.

            Secondly, there is consent where the patient being tested must agree to the testing. However, there is an exception when it comes to pregnant women where the health care providers can do the testing without the consent of the mother to reduce mother-to-child transmission of the virus (Kartikeyan, 2007). The legal issues in this health care issue are that in case a health care provider gives or provides information of the patient’s status they may be liable to a civil and criminal crime of illegal disclosure of confidential information.

            Beneficence and non-maleficence are relevant in addressing HIV/AIDs as a health care issue (American Psychiatric Association, 2006). This is because it is the duty of the health care administrators to do good for the patient and to ensure that they do not cause them any harm by destroying their reputation by disclosing their health status.

            The law requires that rules set be abided to where any person who breaks those rules may be jailed or fined depending on the crime they have done to the society (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Ethics, on the other hand, require that the health care administrators put the needs of the patient first before them and ensure that they do not cause any harm to the patient. In that, confidentiality should be upheld at all times, as well as, the consent of the patient.

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