Changes made in 2017 to the World Medical Association Physician’s Pledge strive to keep in step with geopolitical trends by addressing patient autonomy and collegiality.
AMA J Ethics. 2019; 21(9):E796-800. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2019.796.
Peter Ellis, MD, MPH and Lydia S. Dugdale, MD, MAR
Presenting all, including expensive, options to all patients means advocating not only for individual patients, but also for a just health care system.
AMA J Ethics. 2019; 21(1):E26-31. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2019.26.
Going to so-called safety-net clinics could mean being subject to different standards of care than those in other health care delivery settings. Learners who understand social determinants of health might be able to help patients navigate the system and access community resources.
AMA J Ethics. 2019; 21(1):E44-49. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2019.44.
US immigration policy contravenes the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which all United Nations member nations have ratified except the United States. The convention recognizes that children need special assistance and legal protection and prohibits deprivation of liberty.
AMA J Ethics. 2019; 21(1):E58-66. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2019.58.
One recent essay suggests that emphasis on social justice in medical education is done at the expense of clinicians’ technical competency. This is a response to that stance.
AMA J Ethics. 2020; 22(3):E253-254. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2020.253.
Some physicians who value collective bargaining remain concerned that patient services could suffer, but unionization can be driven by a focus on improving care.
AMA J Ethics. 2020; 22(3):E193-200. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2020.193.
Mandating processes that are not evidence based generates distress among patients and clinicians, so physician advocacy in national, state, and local policymaking is key.
AMA J Ethics. 2020; 22(8):E668-674. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2020.668.