Monday, January 24, 2022

Consequentialism and Decision Making in Healthcare

    Consequentialism, as discussed by Campbell in Bioethics: The Basics, is weighing pros and cons and choosing the option where the predicted good consequences outweigh the predicted bad ones.  Campbell discusses how this approach in bioethics isn't completely sound; it leaves one to ask what is a "good" outcome and what rules should be obeyed above others, it also relies on predictions that cannot be correct 100% of the time.  But consequentialism, for the average citizen, is a very common method of making decisions for oneself, even when it comes to healthcare decisions.  So how does consequentialism influence decisions made by the average patient when the ethical implications go beyond oneself (i.e. in cases of abortion or euthanasia)? Should doctors and healthcare professionals allow patients to have final say in these types of decisions or should the patient have limited control in their medical decisions?

    Humans are fallible and oftentimes forgetful of the weight their decisions hold.  This is the case when it comes to many healthcare decisions, but especially those surrounding abortion and euthanasia.  The moral implications of these types of decisions have been discussed endlessly, but in the real world what is a patient to think when they have an unexpected pregnancy or a loved one who is suffering a great deal? How is a person supposed to make decisions that they know will affect other people? 

    In medicine, professionals rely on medical laws that are somewhere in between consequentialism and deontology.  They're taught entire classes on how to make the "most right" decisions and some even offer advice on how to make good decisions; so maybe asking professionals for their opinions is the best way to make healthcare decisions with larger ethical consequences.  This can be impractical, but when morality is on the line, the greatest effort must be made to stay on the right side of it.

    The weight of making ethical health decisions usually lies on the healthcare provider, who has been given countless tools and how-to guides on making ethical decisions regarding their patients.  However, I think more resources are needed to inform patients of the ethical implications of their decisions.  Patients deserve the right tools to advocate for their healthcare decisions, which includes discussing the bioethical associations of the outcomes.  The average person can't rely on writing pros and cons lists forever without grave moral outcomes, and patients deserve better tools to maneuver through the thick weeds of healthcare decision making.     

2 comments:

  1. I am really interested in the thoughts of those of you in this class who are going into the healthcare professions. I was thinking about that during my walk today and it dawned on me that one of you might be the medical professional consulting with my family 10-30 years from now about whether or not to pull the plug!

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    1. I feel and share your apprehension, Gary!

      I hope any caregiver in the plug-pulling position will be as conscientious as Claire about the provision of essential tools. Neither consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics or any other formulaic theorietical approach will ever make those hard end-of-life practical decisions any easier.

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