BIOETHICS/PREV.

MEDICINE
HEALTH: THE PATIENT AND THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL
(Discussion of Answers)
Dr. Benito Arca
Week 7 | October 19, 2020

- Using a damaged machine may give false

results and endanger the patient, and is
OUTLINE
punishable by law RA11058.
- Presumably, the objective of this clinic is
I. DISCUSSION OF ANSWERS FOR ASSIGNMENT business and profits. In this case, it is
A) Question 1 completely unethical if the owner insists to keep
B) Question 2 using the damaged x-ray machine even after
C) Question 3
you notify him/her.
D) Question 4
E) Question 5 - Since he/she is your boss and you are not ready
F) Question 6 to lose your job, talk to the owner about the
possible risks this would cause not only to the
Legends patients, but also to the reputation of the clinic.
Term - Tell the owner it is out of order and look for the
Lecture/Discussion PPT
Definition contact information of the equipment provider for
Ξ 🗐 ☞ maintenance/repairs.
- If the boss still disagrees, and you cannot afford
to lose your job, follow orders but get the
I. DISCUSSION OF ANSWERS FOR patient’s number for “follow-ups” just in case
ASSIGNMENT 🗐Ξ there will be wrong results. But your motive will
be to talk to the patient about the true nature of
the faulty equipment.
A) Question 1
QUESTION: Elsie goes to the doctor because she has C) Question 3
vaginal discharge. She however refuses to talk about her QUESTION: Linda, a speech therapist, is asked by her
personal life. neighbor to pass their house on her way home from
work to treat Gertrude, her 7-yr-old retarded daughter,
- Since the patient came to you about her twice a week. Mrs. Dimalanta does not pay Linda, but
problem, you should be understanding and have gives her delicious meriendas and a nice Christmas gift.
empathy. But since she doesn’t want to talk
about it, make the patient comfortable (by - Bartering is actually a common alternative
offering beverages, make conversation). means for monetary compensation for poor
- Assist the patient and encourage a safe clients and in areas/cultures/communities where
atmosphere where she could open up. bartering is acceptable for monetary exchange.
- Grab the opportunity when she finally opens up - Usually, when a patient goes to the healthcare
to you. facility, monetary payment (especially on an
- If you leave it be, it’s either she will not go to outpatient basis) where there are no health
other doctors or she will just try her best to deal insurances, and in this case where the disorder
with her problems on her own. is chronic (would take for a long time), payment
- There are instances where the doctor would call is hard.
for another staff/healthcare professional of the - Anyway, Linda has regular work and has a
same gender to help make the patient more regular salary. Also, Linda does not need to go
comfortable. very long distances to visit Mrs. Dimalanta. As
- Assure her that you will maintain strict long as Linda and Mrs. Dimalanta agrees to the
confidentiality. terms of payment, it is okay (Universal Health
Goal - access, quality, price).
B) Question 2 - If she were to need monetary compensation, it is
QUESTION: Piolo goes to the clinic for chest x-ray. As up to Linda to communicate this with Mrs.
the radiology technician, you know that the x-ray
machine has not been working properly yet the owner Dimalanta so they could agree on a reasonable
continues to use it. price proportional to the ability of Mrs.
- As the radiology technician, you should inform Dimalanta to pay.
the owner and the patient in this case

Prepared by: SYED IRFAN, Farhan; VILLAMOR, Kristine; VILLALOBOS, Jave Page 1 of 2
BIOETHICS | Health: The Patient & the Healthcare Professional (Discussion of Assignment) | Week 6-7 | AY 2020-2021(1st Semester)

immediately and must not require cash deposit

prior to admission (Anti Hospital Deposit Law)
D) Question 4
- Where importance of health insurances and
QUESTION: All patients going to the St. Claire programs especially for the poor comes in.
Rehabilitation Clinic for occupational therapy are made
to weave a particular type of basket foreigners like to
REFERENCES
buy.The clinic is able to make huge profits.
1. ARCA, B. (2020). Health: The patient and the
- Basket weaving was a common method of
healthcare professional [PPT].
occupational therapy.
2. Section G/H Class discussion with Dr. Arca
- However, making all the patients do this for the
(10.19.2020).
profit of the clinic ONLY is wrong. It is good if the
patients would have shares from the profits.
- Occupational therapy or any form of healthcare
service should aim primarily for the recovery of
the patient, not for gaining profits.

E) Question 5
QUESTION: Donya Buding is a 72-year-old demanding,
irritable, partially disabled, arthritic patient who is also
quite stingy. She needs the services of a doctor, a nurse
and a PT. All claim to be busy and no one among them
wants to take care of her.
- This is indeed a challenging situation. However,
as a healthcare professional, one must still do
his/her best to accommodate patients and deal
with different types of personalities and
attitudes.
- If Donya Buding cannot meet halfway with you,
you can refer the patient to another healthcare
professional. But this is not for your lack of
trying.
- Donya Buding can be referred to a health and
welfare development research team who can
provide healthcare services to her from the
comforts of home. At the same time, they can
also use her case (with consent) as a case study
as to the other factors (psychological, emotional,
physical, environmental, social) surrounding her
health problem and attitude towards it.

F) Question 6
QUESTION: Mang Badong, run over by a car, is brought
to the ER of a private hospital that requires a cash
deposit prior to admission. He has no money.
- RA 10932: “in emergency or serious cases, it
shall be unlawful for any hospital or medical
clinic to request, solicit, demand or accept any
deposit or any other form of advance payment
as prerequisite for administering basic
emergency care, for confinement or medical
treatment, or to refuse to administer medical
treatment and support to any patient”
- Thus, the healthcare professionals in charge of
Mang Badong’s case must attend to his needs

Prepared by: SYED IRFAN, Farhan; VILLAMOR, Kristine; VILLALOBOS, Jave Page 2 of 2