Professionalism is the buzzword and used in all discussions of Medical Ethics and Health Professional Ethics.Over the last decade, health professional associations are embracing Professionalism to oppose financial motives of the for-profit corporate players from interfering with the fiduciary relationship between Provider and the Client. Humorous cartoons have been added to provide non-offensive mild punches and aid critical self-reflection..

1. Hippocrates
Charaka
PROFESSIONALISM
In MEDICINE
Prof. K.R. Sethuraman. MD
JIPMER,
Pondicherry. India

2. INTRODUCTION
• Humanity is faced with
unprecedented threats to its
health and well-being
• Changes in the health-care
delivery systems frustrate ethical
physicians today
– These threaten the very nature of
medical professionalism

3. Quality of Healthcare
Would any of us accept such risks that
we impose on our patients?

4. Doctor & Patient Divided !
Priority:
Patient
Welfare
Priority:
Profit
margin

5. Declaration of
Professional
Responsibility
• Physicians’ historical commitment
to care for the sick prompted the
response
• Recommitment to professionalism
helps to regain public trust in
medicine
• Voices from many countries call for
a renewed sense of professionalism

6. Preamble
• Professionalism is
the basis of
medicine’s contract
with society
• Vital to this contract
is public trust in
physicians

7. Preamble
• Trust depends on
integrity of the profession
and the individual
• It demands altruism placing the interests of
patients above those of
the physician

8. Non Altruism !

9. Fundamental principle-1
Primacy of patients’
welfare is –
• altruism in serving
the patients interest
• an extension of
Beneficence

10. Fundamental principle-2
Patient autonomy &
Respect
• Promote patients’
autonomy
• Be honest & empower
them to make informed
decisions

11. Doctor’s Loan
Patients’ Debt
Two thirds of Debt
is due to ruinous
health care
expenditure in
Indian villages.
“Medicare
bankruptcy” is
also reported in
China & in the USA
Source – ‘Trick or Treat’ - 2000 EQUIP India

12. Fundamental principle-3
• Social justice - eliminate
discrimination in health
care (by advocacy)

13. Access to Healthcare

14. Self Test - 1
Ethical sensitivity leads to professional commitment

15. Professional Commitments - a
Commitment to –
• Professional competence
• Scientific knowledge
• Maintaining trust by ethically
managing conflicts of interest

16. Ethical Self Test 2
Would I mind if the transaction
is known to my patients?

17. Professional Commitments - b
• Maintaining appropriate
relationships
• Honesty with patients
• Patients’ confidentiality
• Professional responsibilities

18. Professional Commitments - c
Commitment to –
• Improving quality of care
• Improving access to care
• Just distribution of finite
resources
“For the triumph of evil it is only necessary for
all the good persons to do nothing”
- Edmund Burke

19. Sum up – The Future of
Professionalism
A strong & vibrant future depends
on • Physicians who value and practice
the basic tenets of professionalism
• Professional bodies that set and
ensure quality standards for the
practice of Medicine

20. To conclude • Let Us all strive
to be Ethical
Professionals –
Professionals
that India can be
Justifiably Proud
of…