Clinical Implications for Patients , Who Receive Unneeded Tests and Stay Long in Hospitals
When patients extend their period of stay in hospitals, they incur medical costs that burden the hospital. High medical expenses transpire because the hospital has to address issues that relate to bed occupancy, food and drinks as well as other effects that patients require during their stay in the hospital. The challenge becomes complex when the patients are unnecessarily extending their period of stay after discharge confirmation. In the case study, it is clear that the good relationship prevalent between the physicians has led to unneeded stay of patients, who relate well with them. The period of stay in the case study has a close relationship with the group of practitioners and patients, who have ethical, cultural, and societal connections. Subotsky, Bewley, and Crowe (2010) state that relationship between patients and physicians should be professional and should revolve around the aspects of treatment. When patients are fit and in good health medically, they should have the freedom to leave the facility without engaging in extended stays.
Statement of the Problem from the Perspective of the VPMA
Medical practitioners need to have professional relationships with patients and among themselves. Ethical, societal, and cultural associations should not take toll in workplaces. Moreover, prolonged stay in hospitals just because of close associations with physicians is a factor that needs urgent management. The implications associated with the relationships are unwarranted and affect the overall delivery of services in a medical facility. According to Zaoutis (2007), doctors, nurses, and other practitioners in healthcare facilities need to exercise professionalism when undertaking their duties. Professionalism dictates that patients receive equal treatment and attention at all times regardless of their places of origin, race, culture, or ethnicity. Fundamentally, physicians need to ensure that professionalism overrides all other relationships, which can thrive outside workplaces. Therefore, medical practitioners need to avoid unnecessary discussions and relationships that are not in line with the provisions of medical practices.
The Weight that Ethical and Legal Implications should Receive in Relation to Economic Implications
Ethical and legal implications related to unneeded stay in hospitals should receive the same weight as accorded to economic implications. Physicians need to understand that ethical and legal implications associated with unwanted stay in hospitals need urgent management. When patients take time to leave after discharge due to unwanted relationships, which do not follow professional medical practices, the level of stress that the facility feels, is a factor that practitioners cannot underscore. It is important to state that besides incurring financial implications to the facility, the act also affects the available space and attention accorded to patients. Remarkably, ethical and legal implications concern the right of patients to receive medical attention. Kuhse, Schüklenk, and Singer (2016) assert that patients, who do not leave even after discharge, occupy spaces needed by other patients, who also require medical attention. As such, ethical and legal implications of unwanted stay in hospital and non-professional relationship between physicians and patients should have the same level of attention accorded to economic implications.
What I should Do as the CEO to Resolve the Problem Raised by the VPMA
As the CEO of the hospital, I would adopt strategies that focus on addressing the problem advanced by the VPMA. Awareness creation and reprimanding involved practitioners are some of the strategies that I would adopt in order to address the problem. The first procedure that I would employ as the CEO is to create awareness on the requisite medical practices as outlined by the medical code of ethics. The strategy will address the need and essence of according equal treatment and care to all patients. Moreover, it will instill a culture of equity in order to minimise instances of unwanted stay and tests accorded to patients, who are fit for discharge. Reprimanding involved physicians is a strategy that I will adopt after creating awareness. Reprimand will be a way of addressing groups, who practice ethnic, cultural, or societal associations during working hours. By reprimanding involved physicians, the act of unwanted associations diminishes, and as such, all patients receive equal medical attention irrespective of their race, culture, or ethnicity.
References
Kuhse, H., Schüklenk, U., & Singer, P. (2016). Bioethics: An anthology. Malden: Wiley Blackwell.
Subotsky, F., Bewley, S., & Crowe, M. (2010). Abuse of the doctor-patient relationship. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Zaoutis, L. (2007). Comprehensive pediatric hospital medicine. Philadelphia: Mosby/Elsevier.