Medical errors: the ethical aspect

Abstract

The subject of the study is the moral relationship between a doctor and a patient with reference to the discussion of admitted errors and defects in the previous treatment, as well as searching for the effective ways of their correction. An ethical and sociological analysis of the problem is used as the main method of the presented research. The author resorts to a wide variety of domestic and foreign sources and statistics. The results of the study include the classification of medical errors, along with objective and subjective factors causing them. The author ad[1]dresses the concepts of moral damage from doctors’ actions (or inaction), moral responsibility, feeling of guilt and shame of medical workers for the unfavorable outcome of the treatment. Various types of liability for illegal actions are considered. The author considers it ethically correct to inform patients about the mistakes made and apologize (compensate). Other conclusions claim that doctors have no moral right to make mistakes. At the same time it is emphasized that, unfortunately, errors are inevitable in this profession. But they ought to be subject to thorough analysis which aims at finding constructive solutions. This requires ethically acceptable forms of communication between doctors and patients in order to effectively cooperate, minimize and correct errors and defects in medical care.