Say you were faced with two patients who desperately needed liver transplants and would

surely die without them. You have access to one liver, compatible with both patients but you
may only choose one. The first patient is a middle-aged male with two young children and a
morphine addiction, while the second is a sixteen year old female. In this case, do you choose
the option which gives one patient more years of life, or that might result in fewer for the other
but provide the two children with a more stable environment?

This is an extreme example but reflect on the point made - responsibility lies in very large part
with the doctor and you must be able to live with the consequences of your choices. The four
pillars serve as a way to inform these choices and ensure the best outcomes for your patients.