An ethical issue can be defined as a problem or situation that requires an individual or organization to choose between alternatives that need discernment based on right or wrong. Because ethical issues are fundamental precepts that guide every aspect of the society, the healthcare profession is not an exception. In essence, almost every decision made in the medical profession has ethical implications that can affect the physicians, patients, as well as healthcare leaders. An overview of the ethical issues in the medical environment includes attitudes and decisions regarding end of life care, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide among others. In this paper, the ethical concerns to be discussed will strictly be inferred from the 1991 movie, ‘The Doctor.’ Consequently, a suggestion and opinion on how we as the medical professionals should create our moral compasses to demonstrate the essence of being holistic and reverent caregivers will be provided.
In the movie, McKee, the main character, is a doctor who is successful and rich but extremely self-centered. Indeed, as portrayed in the film, McKee keeps everything outside his self-interests at an arm’s length including his wife and kids. Moreover, McKee comes across as a carefree doctor who emphasizes to his interns that emotions are not necessary, and as such, are dangerous in the profession. To this end, he asserts that the job of a surgeon is to cut and not to care. According to him, he prefers to cut straight and care less for the patient (Haines, 1991). Thus, the first ethical principle that the doctor invokes is the principle of double effect that holds that an action that is good in itself proffers two results, good and evil. The fact that the doctor prefers to cut straight and care less as he is seen in the operating room blatantly opening or cutting patients is good in itself as a procedure towards treating the patient. However, the way that it is done without inherent care or remorse for the patient comes across as evil in the sense that it does not matter to him what the patient feels as long as he performs his duties as a surgeon. Moreover, according to the doctor, the end justified the means. However, most patients and colleagues felt this was inhumane.
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The second principle is that of human dignity that reiterates the Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives (ERD) by emphasizing on adequate health care as well as equality of individuals since we are all created in the image and likeness of God (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009). Doctor McKee violates this principle in the sense that he perceives himself as more important and witty. In addition, he considers his status to be above everybody else including colleagues and patients alike. In essence, when he is diagnosed with throat cancer, he questions how a master of medicine like himself could become a victim of the same. While waiting to see a doctor, he is asked by the nurses to constantly fill and sign some forms as the basic procedure of the hospital. However, McKee is annoyed by this fact because to him the rules only apply to the lesser people or patients and not to an esteemed doctor like himself. As such, he asks for a private room befitting his status (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009). The fact that he considers filling the forms as a rule for the lesser individuals in the community violates the Catholic principle of equality of all humans that respects the sacredness of all human life. In addition, adequate health care as outlined by the ethical and religious directives involves a broad spectrum of healthcare services including comprehensive care for the patients. Nevertheless, this is a virtue that McKee has never abided in his entire career. In fact, he prefers to cut rather than care.
The principle of beneficence presents the dictum ‘do good and avoid evil.’ This principle is presented in the movie and similar to others, McKee violates it. In a certain scene, the doctor is seen ridiculously and sarcastically telling a patient with a bad scar that she looks like a magazine centerfold inclusive of the staples and all. In another scene with his wife (Anne) in his Mercedes car, they are seen laughing about an emergency call that arrives through the car phone (Haines, 1991). According to the Catholic healthcare directives, caregivers or professionals such as Dr. McKee need to embody the spirit of mutual respect that disposes them to deal with those they serve including patients and their families with equal respect. The directives further maintain that the healthcare providers need to be sensitive to the concerned patients’ vulnerabilities (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009). However, the doctor violates this directive when he makes cynical remarks regarding the patient’s scar. Moreover, this is a violation of the principle of respect for persons.
The principle of stewardship has also been largely portrayed as a health care issue proffered by the hospital where the doctor worked. After falling ill, the doctor, as well as other patients, are bombarded with bureaucracy, ignorance, and treated with the same carefree attitude that the doctor exhibited to his patients and colleagues (Haines, 1991). The principle of stewardship, as well as the Catholic directives regarding stewardship, highlight that professional caregivers should attend to all individuals through dialogue that is in line with the moral principles that guide individuals and persons (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009). To this end, the health system of the hospital should have ensured that the patients’ right to basic healthcare is respected. Instead, while waiting for his appointment, McKee is informed that the doctor would not be available on that day to see him. This is a clear violation of the ethical and religious directives pertinent to stewardship.
Ultimately, the doctor falls ill to throat cancer, and as if karma was in play, he was handled with the same frailty he treated others with. However, he finally meets June, a brain tumor patient who transforms his life. In the process, he re-evaluates his life in general as well as his relationships including those he tolerated and ridiculed. In this regard, he learns how to appreciate them in a manner he never thought before. Additionally, he discovers the facets of the principle of common good, and in the end, amends his ways and apologizes as well as owns the distance in his marriage (Haines, 1991). He further demonstrates this in his new teaching approach that was opposite from his previous assertions of carefree attitude in handling patients.
Regardless of how prolific and competent we are as caregivers, our moral compasses should be centered not only on the ethical principles discussed in the paper but also on humility, comprehensive care, and empathy for the patients. It is essential to do this because at the end of the day, we are also humans and we are bound to fall ill and require optimal health care like ordinary people. Our moral compasses should be geared towards making the right ethical decisions that not only abide by the physician code of ethics but also the Christian directives of compassion, equality, and sacredness of human life. Ultimately, entrenching both the physician and Christian ethics in our morals will make us as not only holistic but also reverent caregivers.
References
Randa, H. (1991). The Doctor. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceCtLFn94WY
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2009). Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services 5th ed.
