Biomedical Ethics Paper

A Golden Ticket On a busy night in the ED, a member of the hospital board of directors comes in with her sick son and demands that he be seen immediately. The child has red eyes and a sore throat and appears subdued but alert. The clinician explains that the child is not emergently ill, but the mother insists on preferential treatment. This case will be analyzed using the four-box method of biomedical ethics (1). Preferential treatment is something that constantly arises in healthcare. Several bioethics principles underlie ethical practices in caring for VIP patients, with justice and non-maleficence playing an important role in making medical decisions regarding this case. Medical indications In the emergency department, physicians are committed to providing high quality care as quickly as possible to all patients. Some patients may wait longer than expected, but emergency departments work hard to make sure the sickest patients are seen first and all patients are seen in a timely manner (2).Biomedical Ethics Paper The number of patients seeking medical care in the ED is always increasing, so a triage process must be followed. The most common type of triage used in the ED is the five-level triage process in which the lower the acuity number, the more severe the case is, and therefore the greater need for prompt medical attention. The triage process is not based on primary complaints, but rather vital signs, past medical history, and distress (3). When considering the case at hand, the patient complains of red eyes and a sore throat. Based on the presentation, it is not an emergency situation. The patient could have a case of influenza virus or Streptococcal pharyngitis where the patient may experience symptoms of fever, malaise, cough, and sore throat (4). Since the patient does not have an elevated temperature, the illness may be influenza or another respiratory virus.