Microethical and Macroethical Dilemmas

Identify a microethical and macroethical dilemma that might occur in health care organizations.
Provide an example of a legal case law to support your discussion response.

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Microethical and Macroethical Dilemmas

Microethical Dilemma: Patient Privacy vs. Public Health

In healthcare organizations, a common microethical dilemma arises when patient privacy is at odds with the need for public health interventions. For example, a healthcare provider may discover that a patient has a communicable disease, such as tuberculosis or COVID-19, but the patient insists on keeping their diagnosis confidential. The healthcare provider is faced with the ethical dilemma of respecting the patient’s privacy versus reporting the disease to public health authorities to protect others from potential exposure.

Example of Case Law: In the case of Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California (1976), the court ruled that mental health professionals have a duty to warn potential victims if a patient poses a threat to them, even if this violates the patient’s confidentiality. While this case is about harm to third parties, it highlights the ethical principle that public safety can sometimes override patient privacy rights. The same reasoning could be applied in the context of communicable diseases when public health is at risk.

Macroethical Dilemma: Resource Allocation vs. Equity in Healthcare Access

On a macro level, healthcare organizations frequently face dilemmas related to the allocation of resources—such as funding, medical staff, or ICU beds—especially during times of crisis like a pandemic or natural disaster. The ethical question becomes whether to prioritize resources for those with the highest likelihood of survival or distribute them equally among all patients, regardless of their prognosis.

Example of Case Law: An example of legal cases related to resource allocation comes from the Missouri v. Jenkins case (1989), which involved decisions made by school districts about how to allocate limited resources. While not directly about healthcare, the principles of equitable resource distribution and the need for clear, fair policies can be applied to healthcare systems. Healthcare systems often face similar debates regarding fairness, justice, and…