In the patient's best interest--a call to action, a call to balance.

Full Abstract

Nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals often complain that a loss of freedom or other obstacles hinder their ability to act in the best interest of the patient. These barriers cause professional burnout and moral outrage, and may contribute to a migration away from medicine or, more broadly, healthcare. Understanding the historical underpinnings of the phrase "in the patient's best interest," and realizing that healthcare, which is fundamentally a moral enterprise must be built on sound business principles can help healthcare professionals reframe the issue, and reclaim their original commitment to a difficult path.

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Author information

Author/s: Hirsch, Norma J (NJ);

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Bioethics forum (Bioethics Forum), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-; vol 18 (issue 1-2) : pp 24-9

Dates: Created 2003/09/04; Completed 2003/09/11; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12956171, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Burnout, Professional - psychology
Decision Making
Delivery of Health Care - economics; trends
Ethics, Professional
Health Personnel - psychology
Health Promotion

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