Biomedical ethics is a system of analysis and deliberation which is intended to direct physicians and surgeons to moral "goodness" in patient care. It includes consideration of all of the following EXCEPT:
The patient and the doctor decide together what treatment is in the best interest of the patient, and share the benefits and the burdens of this joint decision making. The physician's role is to clarify the indications, risks, and benefits of the possible treatment courses; the patient's role is to decide what course to take.
Living wills are documents which are meant to guide decision making when:
Living wills are intended to guide decisions by physicians, family members, and/or surrogate decision makers when the patient himself/herself is unable to render an opinion and the condition or disease is judged to be terminal or "hopeless".
"Informed consent" implies all of the following EXCEPT:
The "reasonable person" standard for informed consent has precedent in a 1972 court case which rejected the notion that "simple consent" for treatment was sufficient. The court decided that the facts of diagnosis, treatment options, and risks that a "reasonable person" would want to know should be included in the discussion to obtain consent for treatment. There is no requirement for witness documentation when the patient is believed to be competent to handle their own affairs.
When discussing possible surgical options with a patient, it is appropriate to do all of the following EXCEPT:
The obligation of the surgeon is to ensure that the patient is competent and understands the discussion of treatment options. If the condition is not an emergency, the patient should be allowed to consult with others or to ask for time to consider their response. All aspects of the expected course and treatment options, including symptoms, side-effects and complications, should be discussed.
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