RESUMO
The possibility of allowing patients access to health professionals, has been greatly facilitated by advances in technology. Indeed, nowadays it is possible not only direct contact between one health professional with another, but also the possibility of sending images and other tests to consult distant colleagues. This has undoubtedly enabled better health care for many patients. It is also possible for a patient to consult a doctor directly in a remote and synchronous way with oral and visual contact, thus establishing a new form of medical consultation. It is this last way of relationship, which has already spread as a practice in normal times, which arouses apprehensions about the ethical requirements that a consultation must meet. This work by the Ethics Department of the Chilean Medical Association seeks to reflect on the ethical demands of a medical consultation and on the shortcomings that teleconsultation has. It also aims to propose several recommendations, so that this new form of doctor-patient relationship serves as a complement to traditional care, without jeopardizing the objectives of a medical action.
RESUMO
The discussion of a bill that allows medically assisted death (MAD) in Chile, revived the debate about the ethics of this practice. The Department of Ethics of the Chilean Medical Association herein analyzes arguments in favor or against the participation of the medical profession in MAD. Among the main arguments against the participation of physicians in this practice are that MAD conflicts with the basic ethical principles of medical practice, that it is contrary to the purposes of medicine and that it could erode the patients' and society's confidence in physicians. The arguments in favor are related to physician´s compassion and non-abandonment of patients during their illness, choosing palliative care and ushering them to the final instance. Additionally, there is social expectation that this practice will be carried out by trained physicians who can verify that the strict criteria established by the legislation are met, guarantee that it obeys to a repeated request of a fully capable patient, and who is able to deal with the complications of the procedure. In this document we aimed to represent the different perspectives about physicians' participation in MAD, offering arguments to colleagues and stimulating their participation in this important debate.
Assuntos
Humanos , Suicídio Assistido , Medicina , Chile , Dissidências e Disputas , Ética MédicaRESUMO
Every so often, in Chile there is a discussion about the role of physicians in the care of people on hunger strike (HS). In this document, we review the ethical aspects of health care for persons in HS, aiming to provide guidelines to medical doctors who are required to attend them. First, we make an important distinction between HS and suicide, since the former is used as a protest and denunciation tool, while suicide seeks deliberately to end a life. Then we describe the three roles that the health professional can fulfill: as a treating doctor, as an expert or as an official of a prison. The respect for the autonomy and dignity of the person in HS must prevail whatever the role of the physician. Therefore, we maintain that under no circumstances, people who have autonomously decided to be in HS should be fed by force. Due to the complexity of the issue, we make special considerations about the management of minors and the non-competent persons in HS. In conclusion, we adhere to the principles that inspire the Declaration of Malta, which indicate that it would be preferable to "allow a person on hunger strike to die in dignity, rather than subjecting them to repeated interventions against their will".
Assuntos
Humanos , Jejum , Direitos do Paciente/ética , Ética Médica , Suicídio , Chile , Direitos do Paciente/legislação & jurisprudência , Atenção à SaúdeRESUMO
The Chilean bill that regulates abortion for three cases (Bulletin Nº 9895-11) includes the possibility that health professionals may manifest their conscientious objection (CO) to perform this procedure. Due to the broad impact that the issue of C O had, the Ethics Department of the Chilean College of Physicians considered important to review this concept and its ethical and legal basis, especially in the field of sexual and reproductive health. In the present document, we define the practical limit s of CO, both for the proper fulfillment of the medical profession obligations, and for the due respect and non-discrimination that the professional objector deserves. We analyze the denial of some health institutions to perform abortions if it is legalize d, and we end with recommendations adjusted to the Chilean reality. Specifically, we recognize the right to conscientious objection that all physicians who directly participate in a professional act have. But we a lso recognize that physicians have ineludib le obligations towards their patients, including the obligation to inform about the existence of this service, how to access to it and -as set out in our code of ethics- to ensure that another colleague will continue attending the patient.
Assuntos
Humanos , Prática Profissional/ética , Padrões de Prática Médica/ética , Recusa em Tratar/ética , Consciência , Ética Médica , Chile , Comissão de Ética , Aborto Induzido/ética , Códigos de ÉticaRESUMO
El objetivo es examinar las actitudes de un grupo de médicos y abogados que ejercen en Santiago de Chile hacia la aplicación de un protocolo que evalúa la capacidad de los pacientes para tomar decisiones autónomas en salud. Las respuestas se agruparon en cuatro dimensiones: valoración, factibilidad, aceptación y utilidad. Se aplicó la prueba de Wilocoxon rank-sum para evaluar la significación de la distribución de las diferencias valorativas. Los resultados revelan una valoración globalmente positiva de abogados y médicos respecto de la pertinencia y utilidad de estandarizar los procedimientos. Los médicos privilegian los aspectos prácticos y los abogados el resguardo de la autonomía de los pacientes y los derechos de las personas. La consideración de la opinión de los actores médicos y abogados resulta indispensable cuando una bioética cívica se fundamenta en la ética dialógica.
The objective of this article is to examine the attitudes of a group of physicians and lawyers that practice in Santiago, Chile toward the application of a protocol which evaluates the capacity of patients to make autonomous health decisions. The responses were grouped in four dimensions: assessment, feasibility, acceptance and usefulness. The Wilocoxon rank-sum test was applied to evaluate the distribution significance of value differences. The results revealed a globally positive assessment of lawyers and physicians to the pertinence and usefulness of standardization of procedures. The physicians emphasized the practical aspects and the lawyers, protection of patient autonomy and human rights. Consideration of the opinions of medical and legal actors is indispensable when a civic bioethics is founded in ethical dialogue.
O objetivo é examinar as atitudes de um grupo de médicos e advogados que atuam em Santiago do Chile sobre a aplicação de um protocolo que avalia a capacidade dos pacientes para tomar decisões autônomas em saúde. As respostas foram agrupadas em quatro dimensões: valoração, factibilidade, aceitação e utilidade. Aplicou-se a prova de Wilocoxon rank-sum para avaliar a significação da distribuição das diferenças valorativas. Os resultados revelam uma valoração globalmente positiva de advogados e médicos com respeito à pertinência e utilidade de padronizar os procedimentos. Os médicos privilegiam os aspectos práticos e os advogados o resguardo da autonomia dos pacientes e os direitos das pessoas. A consideração da opinião dos autores médicos e advogados resulta indispensável quando uma bioética cívica se fundamenta na ética dialógica.