The 7 Principles of Healthcare Ethics

Ethical healthcare is critical to any country. Treating patients fairly and maintaining confidentiality goes a long way toward building trust and increasing the quality of care.

You may wonder what ethical healthcare truly means and how you can implement it into your daily practices as a healthcare professional.

MANCOSA skillME offers an ethics course for healthcare professionals that teaches you about ethical principles and applications.

This article will provide you with an overview of ethics and also explain the seven principles of healthcare ethics so you can implement them into your daily practice to provide maximum quality patient care.

An overview of ethics in healthcare

Ethics in healthcare is a fundamental aspect of medical practice and research. It ensures that:

Every patient is provided with proper care and treatment
Medical decisions are made in a way that respects human dignity and patient rights
Patient information is kept confidential

Ethics in healthcare is vital because it:

Protects patient rights: Ensures that patients are treated with respect, their autonomy is acknowledged, and they have the right to make informed decisions about their care.

Builds trust: Fosters trust between patients and healthcare professionals, which is vital for effective treatment and patient cooperation.

Promotes fairness: Ensures fair access to medical resources and treatments, reducing disparities in healthcare.

Guides professional conduct: Helps healthcare professionals navigate complicated moral dilemmas and make better decisions that are in line with ethical standards.

Ensures accountability: Holds healthcare providers accountable for their actions, promoting transparency and integrity in medical practice.

An ethics course for healthcare professionals is one of the healthcare management courses available. It can help provide professionals with the skills and knowledge to perform well in their careers, interact with patients compassionately, and maintain patient relationships effectively.

The fundamental 7 principles of healthcare ethics

Healthcare ethics provides professionals and facilities with a framework for effective healthcare management that focuses on making morally sound decisions and offering the best possible service. There are seven fundamental principles.

1. Autonomy

Healthcare professionals must honour the patient’s right to make their own decisions. This involves providing all necessary information and support to help patients make informed

choices about their care, including:

Explaining treatment options
Talking about potential risks and benefits
Respecting the patient’s decision—regardless of whether you agree with it or not

2. Beneficence

Medical professionals and institutions should act in the patient’s best interest. Beneficence involves taking actions that:

Benefit the patient
Promote their health and well-being
Ensures that the care is best for their circumstances, health, and mental state

Healthcare professionals must strive to do maximum good, ensuring their care improves patients’ health and quality of life.

This principle requires you to assess treatment effectiveness and adjust it as necessary to help achieve the best possible patient outcomes.

3. Non-Maleficence

This principle requires healthcare professionals to avoid harming patients. It focuses on weighing the risks and benefits of any proposed treatment to minimise potential harm.

Healthcare professionals must consider the following:

Side effects
Complications
The overall impact of the procedure or treatment on the patient’s health

4. Justice

Justice in healthcare emphasises fairness in the distribution of resources and treatments. It ensures that all patients receive the best care regardless of their:

Background
Financial status
Socioeconomic status
Geographic location
Cultural barriers
Language barriers
Disability and special needs
Race and ethnicity
Gender or sexuality
Or any other factors

In short, this principle mainly promotes the fair allocation of medical resources and addresses disparities in healthcare access and treatment.

5. Confidentiality

Confidentiality involves keeping patient information private and only sharing it with those directly involved in their care unless the patient consents or the law requires disclosure.

Maintaining confidentiality helps medical professionals and facilities build trust with patients and protects sensitive personal information from unauthorised disclosure.

This information includes:

Treatment history
Test results
Physical health diagnosis
Mental health diagnosis
And more

6. Veracity

Veracity requires healthcare professionals to be honest with patients and provide accurate information about:

Their condition
Treatment options
Prognosis

This builds trust between the healthcare provider and patient and allows patients to make informed healthcare decisions based on truthful and complete information.

7. Fidelity

Fidelity means being faithful to the commitments made to patients and the profession. It involves:

Building trust by adhering to ethical standards and professional guidelines
Honouring promises
Maintaining professional integrity

This principle ensures that healthcare professionals and providers act responsibly and respectfully towards their patients and their profession.

Implementing the 7 principles with an ethics course for healthcare professionals

Incorporating these seven principles into your daily practice ensures you provide ethical and compassionate care to all your patients.

If you’re ready to explore these ethics further and improve your ethical skills and knowledge as a healthcare provider, consider enrolling in ethics and healthcare courses.

A course can help provide theoretical knowledge and practical application so you can thrive in your healthcare career. To enhance your expertise in healthcare ethics, look at skillME’s Ethics for Healthcare short course.

Register for a skillME ethics course for healthcare professionals

Good and ethical medical practice is crucial in South Africa. Many citizens rely on public health, and these individuals deserve the same treatment and fairness in their healthcare delivery.

Whether you practice at a public or private healthcare facility, learning more about ethics and fair patient treatment will prepare you for long-term career success. Enrol in an ethics course for healthcare professionals today.