Cosmetic surgery has been growing rapidly in the last few years. This growth is the result of a number of factors such as socio-economic development, globalization and changes in cultural norms and advertising.
However, the practice of cosmetic surgery poses some ethical and social issues. The main ethical problems are related to the patient’s right to self-determination and the physician’s obligation of protecting the patient’s health.
1. Patient’s right to self-determination
The patient’s right to self-determination is the belief that patients have the right to make their own decisions about their health and medical conditions. This includes deciding whether or not to undergo treatment and most medical tests and procedures.
A patient’s ability to make decisions about his or her own health and medical care is often dependent on the physician’s explaining the risks and benefits of a treatment or test. This is known as informed consent.
In real-world clinical encounters, decision making is usually temporally extended; physicians are often unable to present all of the information necessary for a patient to decide on a particular treatment option immediately. Several reasons are likely to explain why a physician might choose to postpone presenting a treatment decision to the patient, some of which may overtly conflict with the principle of self-determination as normally understood.
2. Patient’s right to privacy
The patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality is a bedrock principle of modern medical care. This includes the rights of patients to receive accurate and timely information about their treatment options and financial obligations.
The best way to protect a patient’s privacy is by following HIPAA guidelines and complying with the Federal Government’s National Privacy Principles. Creating a trusting environment by respecting the patient’s privacy will lead to better outcomes and increased confidence in their surgeon and staff.
The most exciting innovation to come out of this field is the advancement of digital technology that makes it possible for health care providers to share patient information with one another and with their patients. The most innovative aspect of this new technology is the ability for surgeons to create personalized and unique patient profiles. The best part is that this information can be used to improve the quality of care and enhance the patient experience.
3. Patient’s right to be informed
The right to be informed is a fundamental legal concept that requires surgeons to provide detailed information before surgical procedures. Specifically, this means that surgeons must explain all material risks and alternative treatment options to their patients.
In addition to this, surgeons also have an obligation to inform patients about the results of their surgeries and the impact on their health outcomes. For this reason, the law of informed consent is one of the most important issues affecting plastic surgery.
Informed consent is an important aspect of patient safety and should be considered as a moral obligation for all medical treatments. This is particularly true for cosmetic surgery, which is characterized by its objective non-necessity in relation to maintaining health and requires careful risk-benefit analyses.
4. Patient’s right to consent
One of the cornerstones of a physician-patient relationship is patient consent. It is an important expression of respect for the patient’s autonomy and also a legal requirement.
Ideally, the informed consent process is not a mere event that results in a patient signing an authorization form, but rather an ongoing dialogue and sharing of information between physician and patient. Supplementary handouts and other materials should be provided well in advance of the consent form so that patients have adequate opportunity to consider the implications of what they are agreeing to.
The level of understanding of treatment risks and alternatives is important, both before and after surgery. Personal attendance by the physician allows him or her to observe for signs of comprehension or confusion. When a patient declines recommended treatment, notes should be made to record the reason for the refusal.
5. Patient’s right to safety
One of the most fundamental ethical principles in medical ethics is patient confidentiality. All health care providers are honor bound to protect their patients’ rights to privacy.
This right includes the privacy of patient information from being shared with third parties such as insurance companies, government agencies and others without the consent or approval of the patient. This is done to avoid exposing the patient to potentially harmful information or unwarranted scrutiny.