Ethical and Legal Issues in Modern Surgery (Introductory Series in Medicine, Vol. 2)

Description

Over the last quarter of a century, the fields of medical ethics and of legal issues related to medical practice have rapidly developed for a number of reasons. Firstly, the provision of healthcare nowadays is based on a complicated partnership between healthcare providers, patients, administrators and organizations responsible for providing finance; this complicated partnership frequently results in clashes of views, opinions, and priorities, which have a major ethical and legal dimension. Secondly, a major event of the 21st century is the development of multicultural societies; healthcare-related decisions thus have to be made on the background of so many different ethnicities, religions, cultures and languages, resulting in a great spectrum of ethical and legal implications. Thirdly, in the modern world, people are more mobile and can easily and cost-effectively seek treatment outside of their country of origin or residence, which raises many ethical and legal issues. Lastly, the development of new medical specialties, modern and advanced treatments for very challenging patients, and the introduction of new technologies in medical practice have dramatically broadened the spectrum of ethical and legal issues related to medical practice. This book will therefore aim to cover in detail general principles and specific issues related to the ethical and legal dimensions of modern surgical practice.

edited by Nadey Hakim (Hammersmith Hospital London, UK), Vassilios Papalois (Hammersmith Hospital London, UK), & Miran Epstein (Queen Mary, University of London, UK)

Contents:

History of Medical Ethics
Deontological and Utilitarian Schools of Philosophy
Basic Principles Guiding the Debate of an Ethical Issue
History of the Development of Law in Medical Practice Including the Analysis of Some Hallmark Cases
Regulation of Medical Practice Around the World
Legal Framework Around the World for the Provision of Justice in Issues Related to Medical Practice and Malpractice
Ethical and Legal Issues Specific to Various Areas of Surgical Practice

Readership: Ethicists, lawyers, clinicians, academics and general public.