Patients have the right to access information about their medical progress. The right is exercised through medical practitioners who must inform them about their prognosis. Ethical codes obligate medical officers to always operate in the interest of patients. Meaning every decision made by the officers must benefit the patients. Medical practitioners are, therefore, prohibited from harming patients in any manner. Sometimes information can be concealed from the patients for their interest. Collectivist cultures, such as the Asian, require doctors to conceal information from terminally ill patients. Consequently, medical decisions are family-centered, not requiring patients’ input. Although doctors may not inform terminally-ill patients about their prognosis, healthcare givers must balance patients’ rights with respect for cultural practices.
Various cultures allow physicians to conceal the truth from patients. The Asian culture obligates physicians to first disclose terminally ill patients’ prognoses to family members (Cheng et al., 2021). According to the culture, telling the patients the truth may extinguish their hope and trust in medication. Consequently, the patients may ineffectively respond to diagnosis, hastening their death. Additionally, informing patients about their worsening condition may lead to despondency and mental anguish that may worsen their conditions (Picardi et al., 2021). Physicians, therefore, feel that withholding patients’ information is more of an act of humanity than ethical. Therefore, concealing the truth from patients may be significant since it protects them from psychological suffering.
Medical ethics strengthen the relationship between physicians and their patients. The healthcare givers are expected to act within the ambit of medical ethics: respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Respect for autonomy is associated with allowing patients to choose appropriate medical interventions (Mentzelopoulos et al., 2021). Beneficence involves actions that promote patients’ well-being during treatments (Picardi et al., 2021). Meanwhile, non-maleficence is the requirement that physicians must avoid actions that may cause harm to patients. Patients need to know about their prognosis to make informed decisions. Therefore, healthcare providers must tell their patients the truth for autonomous decision-making. Concealing the truth from patients is disrespectful to their right to information and autonomy.
Although concealing the truth from patients denies them the right to self-autonomy, it may be consistent with the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. Patients are expected to comply with physicians’ directives for effective treatment fully. However, telling them that they are likely to die may discourage them from following healthcare providers’ instructions. Additionally, telling terminally ill patients the truth may lead to psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety, exacerbating their illnesses (Ludwig et al., 2021). Doctors act in the best interest of patients by denying terminally ill patients the truth. Moreover, the doctors prevent causing harm to the patients by not telling them the truth. Therefore, not disclosing information to patients may be an ethical act of beneficence and non-maleficence.
Striking a balance between informing and concealing the truth from patients may be in their interest. Healthcare givers must weigh the consequences of concealing the truth from patients before doing so. Considerations, such as patients’ psychological conditions, must be taken into account before deciding whether to conceal the truth from them or not (Mentzelopoulos et al., 2021). Some patients can be discouraged from effectively responding to medication upon hearing about their worsening state. However, some are encouraged to respond effectively to medication. It is crucial for healthcare providers to balance between the patients’ right to know and families’ cultural beliefs and practices. Not disclosing information to patients may not be an ethical breach since it is done in their interests. Therefore, as a medical practitioner, I will only respect the cultural practice and not inform a patient about prognosis only if such action benefits them.
References
Cheng, Q., Duan, Y., Wang, Y., Zhang, Q., & Chen, Y. (2021). The physician-nurse collaboration in truth disclosure: from nurses’ perspective. BMC Nursing, 20(1).
Ludwig, C., Graham, I. D., Lavoie, J., Gifford, W., & Stacey, D. (2021). Ethical considerations for engaging frail and seriously ill patients as partners in research: sub-analysis of a systematic review. Research Involvement and Engagement, 7(1).
Mentzelopoulos, S. D., Couper, K., Voorde, P. V. de, Druwé, P., Blom, M., Perkins, G. D., Lulic, I., Djakow, J., Raffay, V., Lilja, G., & Bossaert, L. (2021). European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Ethics of resuscitation and end of life decisions. Resuscitation, 161, pp. 408–432.
Picardi, A., Miniotti, M., Leombruni, P., & Gigantesco, A. (2021). A qualitative study regarding COVID-19 inpatient family caregivers’ need for supportive care. Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health, 17(1), pp. 161–169.