Healthcare Philosophies and Ethics Flashcards
“Western medicine” “Mainstream medicine”
medicine practiced by medical doctors or other degree holding health professionals such as physical therapists, psychologist or registered nurses
Conventional Medicine
“Indigenous medicine” “Folk machine”
The sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness
Traditional medicine
Non-mainstream medical care that is used in place of mainstream medical care
Alternative medicine
Non-mainstream medical care that is used together with mainstream medical care
Complementary medicine
Health care practices that traditionally have not been part of conventional medicine. They are being combined with conventional medicine.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
The name “alternative is more often now dropped and replaced with a newer term.” Can help people with cancer and more.
Integrative Medicine
Examples of integrative medicine
Homeopathy, chiropractic, reflexology
The four traditional pillars of medical ethics
Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice
“What does the patient want”
Refers to the capacity to think, decide and act on one’s own free initiative.
Autonomy
“What is best for the patient?”
Guided by the moral principle of doing good to others. It implies consideration of the patient’s pain; their physical and mental suffering; the risk of disability and death; and their quality of life. Can I not NOT interfering.
Benefience
“Will this harm the patient?”
This reminds us to ponder the possibility of doing harm, especially when you cannot cure. Do the benefits outweigh the potential harms?
Non-Maleficence
“Are the patient’s requests fair and able to be satisfied?”
Resources are limited; we cannot cure everybody and so priorities must be set. This holds that patients in similar situations should have access to the same care. And assess the impact of choices on others.
Justice
