Invent an Ethnic Dilemma

Invent an Ethnic Dilemma

Generally, healthcare workers often encounter ethical dilemmas during clinical practice. For instance, should a physician continue seeing a patient who needs occupational therapy services due to the necessary medical care? Even though the source of payment (Medicare) coverage methods for therapies done at home are doubtful? Several years ago, an older woman of 86 years was referred to a physician. The patient reported to the facility with a debilitating stroke that paralyzed the right side of her body, which was pre-morbidly the dominant side of her body. However, the patient’s admission was under home care since she was running out of medicine allowable days at a skilled nursing home. The patient needed considerable help with all activities of daily living (ADL) and was primarily in a wheelchair since she could not walk solely. The husband of the patient was 88 years, who was also in need of medical assistance. It was likely that the couple was facing financial challenges. Therefore, the couple did not go for assisted living programs. Instead, they got themselves a trailer home. However, the patient was responding well to home therapy. Also, she had chances of improving due to home rehabilitation.

One evening, during her third week at home from the nursing facility, the patient’s husband experienced a massive myocardial infarction. His husband was taken to the hospital and had to go through cardiac catheterization. After a few days, her husband was transferred to a home. As a result, the patient would visit her husband daily for four to six hours. None could convince the patient to stay at home. Following the admission of her husband, the patient could no longer keep up with her therapy appointments with the physician and other caregivers. The Part A insurance plan of Medicare Insurance stipulates specific policies regarding homebound criteria. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) states that if the patient leaves home, they are not homebound. Therefore, the patient’s daily absence from home did not qualify her for Medicare coverage. Consequently, Medicare did not clarify specific terms used to explain the guidelines for the coverage. Therefore, the physician conflicted with the client’s right to receive home-based care due to her medical necessity and his moral duty to treat patients. The physician was also concerned about the patient’s wellness.

Ethical Paradigms occasionally explain circumstances. However, the role of ethical paradigms is to be applied universally. Three ethical theories apply to the ethical dilemma, which comprise (a), Teleology, in the physicians need to benefit the client (consequentialism), (b), Virtue-based ethics since the physician felt that he should strive for the patient to receive healthcare that he or anyone would hope for, (c), Value-based ethics to be truthful as a physician and to the happiness of the patient. However, deontologist requires a physician to act in regard to the rules and principles of ethics such as autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, veracity, and avoiding killing. The theory of deontology stipulates that an individual acts morally according to the individual’s duty and also basing the action of the individual on the results.

1. The Teleological Ethics (consequentialism)

Teleological ethics derives moral duty from its role or purpose. Therefore, applying teleology in ethics imphttps://studygroom.com/social-security-medicare-and-medic-aid/lies that the individual views or explains actions according to the consequences of the result. For instance, stealing is a crime. However, a thief may justify stealing to feeding his family. In the history of ethics, Philosophers applied intrinsic teleology to several circumstances and aspects of the world. Philosophers explain that objects are there for a purpose. For example, corn should germinate into an oak, and man should rule the world. Therefore, intrinsic teleology describes things or circumstances according to what they should do or their results. However, extrinsic teleology adds more weight to teleological principles by elaborating that things occur naturally. Extrinsic teleology explains circumstance according to the purpose that is imposed on them. For instance, the use of building a house is to live in it, and a car must be driven. Therefore, the teleological theory states that the ultimate standard for action is if it is moral without looking into the positive or negative consequences.

Therefore, based upon the analysis of the ethical dilemma, there are no distinct legal actions warranted other than ethical-legal aspects. The dilemma of the physician involves whether or not to continue medical services to his client considering the medical necessity. However, if the physician applies the teleological theory and offers the services to the client, the patient may, in the end, not meet the Medicare coverage criteria for payment. On the contrary, the patient may qualify for Medicare despite the situation since the cover offers do not clarify its terms of service. Therefore, this theory requires the discovery of legal and ethical breach or risks and an analysis of the future. Consequently, it may not work sufficiently for the patient.

2. Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics emphasizes the virtue of the moral character, which is contrary to other theories that emphasize duties, rules, or consequences. A virtue is an excellent trait of personality or habit. For example, someone cannot be honest due to the fear of being caught. An honest person has to argue with choices and choose honesty. Therefore, Virtue ethics considers the moral nature or the individual doing the action. In this context, if virtue ethics would mean that the physician uses his moral duty to provide care. However, virtue ethics may not be suitable for this scenario since the patient may lose the medical cover.

3. Deontological Ethics

The deontological approach relates responsibility or duty to the morality of the action. The deontological approach would qualify an action as moral because of the nature of the action. The physician has a moral duty as in both Medicare and state practice acts. Therefore, since the physician is not trying to interpret in his way the requirements of Medicare and justify his actions, he has the right to provide care for his client. The physician could choose to employ the strictly polices to cause no further dilemma. The physician could counsel the client on the use of Medicare Plan B, which provides for an outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Plan B also provides for the client to visit other health care facilities that qualify. Also, the patient requires continuity of healthcare in an environment that she desires. However, the deontological approach would mean that the physician to leave the patient to other available care.

In conclusion, the deontological approach best solves the dilemma. This is because deontologist considers every circumstance in a dilemma and moral rules. It also includes the consequences of the action. It bases the duty of the physician to the results of the actions due to the role. Therefore, the deontological approach would the best approach in all ethical circumstances since it allows the individual to look into both the socio-cultural and moral constructs of the situation. In this situation, the physician considers the clinical situation, the ethical issues, and the legal aspects of the dilemma.

The physician has a professional duty to the patient, which is also in the Medicare act. Moreover, the physician should also uphold the cause of justice to ensure there is no further confusion. Medicare Plan B provides for other options, and the patient would find an outpatient clinic that would accept her as their client. Also, since the physician has to explain the dilemma to the patient, she would find the solution feasible and take it. Therefore, the physician sticks to the cause of justice, integrity, and truthfulness towards the codes of his profession.