Leadership and Ethics in Healthcare

Read the Unit 4 Ethics Case and answer the questions associated with the scenario. At least two (2) peer-reviewed sources other than the textbook must be used to support your opinion. List and cite your references. Your analysis should be at least 2 pages in length, in addition to a title and a reference page. APA formatting is required.

Scenario 

Two principles are often at odds when healthcare practitioners must deal with health issues: The autonomy of each patient and beneficence. Autonomy refers to the individual’s right to make his or her own decisions. Beneficence refers to the moral obligating to act in ways that promote the health and welfare of others. As stated in Merman’s Ethical Challenges in the Management of Health Information, “Beneficence and the closely allied principle of nonmaleficence (first do no harm) are among the primary justification supporting public policies that interfere with the autonomy of individuals.”

Ethics Issue:

Andre Speaker, a personal injury attorney flew via public transportation from Atlanta, Georgia to Paris to get married. Speaker was thought to have an extremely contagious and untreatable form of multidrug resistant tuberculosis. Upon Speaker’s return to the Universe State, the Centers for Disease Control used provision of the Public Health Service Act to involuntarily hospitalize and desolate him. Speaker’s diagnosis was later corrected. He had a treatable form of tuberculosis. At least nine individual who were passengers on the flights Speaker took later filed civil suits against him for knowingly exposing them to the disease.

1. Thinking as health care practitioners, n your opinion should Mr. Speaker’s autonomy as a person have taken precedence over the CDC’s desire to enforce public health law? Explain you answer.

2. In your opinion, did the CDC act ethically in involuntarily quarantine Mr. Speaker? Explain you answer.

3. Support your answers with facts/sources of reference.