Challenges to ethics and professionalism facing the contemporary neurologist

Abstract

Challenges to ethics and professionalism that can harm neurologists and their patients include the commercialization of medicine, poorly designed Medicare regulations, conflicts of interest, physician employment by hospitals, faulty measurement of medical quality care, electronic health records, electronic communications with patients, and the demotion of the role of physician beneficence. These threats can lead to inaccurate medical record-keeping, unnecessary medical care, a decline in the primacy of patients' interests, and damage to the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship. The increasing frequency of physician burnout can be attributed at least partially to unmitigated stresses on practicing physicians, particularly the growing time pressures for patient visits, the mounting daily requirements of documentation, and the increasing burden of time-consuming but unproductive tasks. Recommended correctives include reforming billing documentation regulations, improving electronic health records, designing proper quality indicators integrating physician wellness, and incorporating reasonable physician workflows in the design of accountable care organizations.

Speaking the same language

“…13 The "hidden curriculum" and physician burnout have also been shown to erode professionalism and empathy. [14][15][16][17] We did observe a strong emphasis placed on individual mentoring and modeling of behaviors as critical in professional development. Social media, texting, and other Web-based methods of networking are changing the language with which the next generations communicate and conduct their professional practice.…”

Medical Ethics Education for Neurology Residents: Where Do We Go from Here?

“…17 Bernat and others have argued that a decreased emphasis on ethical and professional values such as physician beneficence may be contributing to burnout. 18,19 Ethics education to increase physician empathy and professionalism may be one important step in the struggle to reverse the epidemic of burnout among neurologists.…”

Globalisation, economics and professionalism

“…The lure of ''economic advantage has tested, and often undermined, practitioners' commitments to core values of their professional'' (Faulconbridge & Muzio 2009). The medical profession is increasingly seen as concerned primarily about financial gain, lacking in adequate regulation of clinical behaviour and skills, and lacking honesty in practice (Cruess & Cruess 2004;Bernat 2014). The scenario below, drawn from a court case involving a Singaporean general surgeon specializing in cancer surgery, provides an extreme example of financial gain undermining core values of professionalism.…”