PHI 2396 Chapter Notes -Best Interests, Expressive Aphasia, Parens Patriae
3 Dec 2014
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Physicians feel that they have fulfilled their duty when they educate and advice a person in a language that they understand on what to do and tell them an opinion and a recommendation. What happens after is legally and ethically acceptable. If they don"t agree with decision they can attempt to reason or persuade but not coerce. If they can"t do the required task, they can refer the patient to another physician and withdraw the case. At no point, minus emergencies and therapeutic privileges, are they called to assume the role of proxy-decision maker or to examine the ethical acceptability of the decision. This is different in the case of an incompetent person. Physician must assume an evaluative role; make sure the proxy-decision maker (usually the next of kin) make the right decision after reflective consideration and not a hasty reaction.
