CASE B: Identify 2 most relevant Obligations and Moral deals (underline them), then discuss

each of them in 1-2 sentences. Discuss 2 most plausible courses of action (1-2 sentences
only); then discuss 1 positive and 1 negative consequence for each course of action (1-2
sentences only). Lastly, defend your proposed best course of action for the indicated person
(3-6 sentences only) by clearly stating the fulfilled obligation/s, honored moral ideal/s, and
favorable consequence/s.
A team of doctors has been assigned the difficult task of deciding which of their two patients
will receive the next heart transplant when a heart becomes available. The patients are Anne,
12 years old, the only child of a garbage collector and his janitress wife, and Mike, 48 years
old, a widower business executive and the father of four children. Who should the doctors
prioritize?
RELEVANT Obligations:

It is the doctors’ obligation to preserve the lives of people through their expertise. Aside from
that, administering proper protocols and establishing proper priority management decisions are
likewise important as well. It is their mission through the means of their profession and
knowledge, to cure and alleviate the illnesses of fellow human beings in order to allow them
another chance at life where they could achieve self-fulfillment that they are naturally inclined
to attaining.

RELEVANT Moral Ideals:

In a difficult dilemma like this, the efforts, energy, struggles as well as the decisions that the
doctors would make to achieve the best results for all would imply the valuing of charity and
solidarity in order to help the patients live longer and attain the ultimate good in life.

Possible Course of Action 1:

The doctors could prioritize one patient over the other by carefully considering their individual
situations and administering the necessary medical procedures to maintain the health of the
patient waiting. They could prioritize Anne given the financial conditions of her family and they
could also prioritize the latter considering his age which makes him more susceptible to
possible accidents and failures.

Positive Consequence 1a: Negative Consequence 1b:

If they choose to prioritize Anne, it will ease the
additional burden that it has on her family
considering that their jobs are only earning them
humble amounts of income enough to sustain a
low-cost lifestyle. It will lessen their days spent
in the hospital that, if prolonged, may result in
staggering fees. On the other hand, if the
doctors decide to prioritize the executive
businessman over Anne, it would decrease the
likelihood of future medical complications due to
his age for his condition will immediately be
attended to.
If Anne was to be prioritized, due to the low
amount of income that the family makes
combined, it could possibly cross their mind
to skip paying the doctors for the services
they have rendered to save their daughter.
Aside from that, the results of the transplant
may also not be guaranteed, her body could
be too frail for her age and may reject the
donor organ if worse comes to worse.
On the other hand, if the doctors decide to
prioritize the businessman, results may also
 not be guaranteed given his age. As this is
done, the situation also automatically
implies that Anne would have to wait for
longer which could lead to significant
increases in hospital and medical fees on
top of the base fee that they are supposed
to be getting for the operation alone.
Possible Course of Action 2:
Since being a candidate for a heart transplant depends on one’s size, blood type, and
sickness, the doctors could initially administer the necessary medical procedures to help take
care of both the patients’ hearts while waiting for the ones that are right for them.

Positive Consequence 2a: Negative Consequence 2b:

Observing medical procedures carefully Medical therapy may not be effective at all times
like identifying the appropriate donor heart
and could lead to the implantation of devices in
for the patients, despite the possibility of it
the patients’ bodies to support their hearts and
resulting in longer wait times will decrease
maintain proper balance in their vital signs while
the possibility of errors and accidents that
waiting for donor organs. These could result in
could severely damage or worse, destroy higher utility fees as the days spent in the hospital
their lives. Doing so with extreme care will
and the number of equipment used increase
prevent future accidents in the long run for
which could be a major disadvantage for those
the patients. who are earning minimum wage which, in this
case, is Anne’s family.
Proposed Course of Action (Best Course of Action):

If we were to properly analyze the situation along with all of the factors mentioned above,
perhaps we could come to the conclusion that the latter option is superior to the former. As
doctors, it is their obligation towards their patients to give them the best possible treatments
and options amidst various challenging circumstances. Money is merely secondary for it is
selfless service and assistance that is the primary goal of medicine hence, a must to treat
patients equally and with the best intentions in mind despite their lack of capability to pay and
the low rates of success. With this, the doctors must generate ways on how to achieve the best
for both sides without sacrificing the health of another. As heart transplants are very risky
procedures, they must do all they can to carefully identify the appropriate factors and details
needed in determining the best donor organ for the rightful patient. While the patients wait, they
must be given the proper care and medical needs that would prolong a stable condition.
Although this may lead to a significant increase in hospital fees, the party incapable of paying
must nonetheless be given the appropriate treatment since the preservation of life is part of
one’s dignity, therefore requiring utmost respect and attention.

Additional resources used:

Mayo Clinic Staff (n.d.). Heart Transplant. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-
procedures/heart-transplant/about/pac-20384750