Question

1) There was a shortage of flue vaccine in a given year, what would the utilitarian model recommend be done ?

2) There were several patients who needed a liver transplant and only one liver was available, what criteria would be used to determine who gets the liver donation.

3) In the medical field, an individual has the right of freedom of religion, yet it may be contraindicated for the effective treatment of the patient. How does a physician handle a case in which a child needs a blood transfusion to save his life yet the parents’ religious beliefs do not allow blood transfusions? Does the physician using the rights - based ethical model respect the religious beliefs of the parents and allow the child to die? Or does the physician respect the child’s right to life, despite parental beliefs?

4) Summarize the code of ethics for the medical coding and billing.

Summarize what you feel is the purpose of a professional code of ethics.

Provide situation in which you feel this code of ethics/ ethical conduct might be put in jeopardy by making the decision either on providing care or coding/billing practices.

How does your code support that and would handle that situation ?

5) What are your personal thoughts or opinions on whether or not a code of ethics should be in place ?

Answer 1

1.Utilitarian model main goal is to provide to the biggest number possible of individuals a better well-being.Eventhogh,sometimes,harms ones and benefits others,as long as the potential positive results are superior to the negatives,the decisions can be considered good and ethic.
-according to one of the utilitarian model ethic managers should try to satisfythe needs of the clients,suppliers,employees and shareholders,focusing onthe organizations financial goals.
-managers must make the arrangements for the benefit/ meeting the needs of clients i.e providing the facility of flu vaccination from external sources for avoiding harm and benefit of the higher population.

2.criteria to be used to determine who gets the liver donation:
-The recipients MELD(Model for End-State Liver Disease)or PELD(Pediatric End-state liver Disease)score.
-This score measure the level of urgency each patient has for a liver transplant.The higher the MELD/PELD score,te more likely they are to receive a liver.

3.According to the ethical model and to the decision-maker's conscience,some decisions will require you to prioritize and to choose between competing ethical values and principles when it is necessary to do so because the only viable options require the sacrifice of one ethical value over another ethical value.The decision maker should act in a way that will create the greatest amount of good and the least of harm to the people.
So,physician can explain the greater benefit with blood trasfusion and the harm with the religious belief in particular life threatening situation.Based on the greater benefit results can proceed to blood transfusion with consent of parents.

4.summary of code of ethics for medical coding and billing:
medical billing and coding professionals must follow code of ethics to protect patients and providers.It includes confidentiality,accuracy,credentials and behaviour.
*code of eyhics is usually established by a professional order as a way to protect the public and the reputation of the professionals.
example for jeopady of decision making in code of ethics in coding /billing practices:the coding supervisor pressure to increase revenue at the expenses of actual documentation to support the codes assigned.
*this situation puts the coder in difficult situation,especially with the hint of termination,any liability for incorrect coding will likely be assigned to the coder and the clinic.
*coder should speak to the compliance officer with relavant documents to resolve the problem and protect himself and clinic.

5.Yes,code of ethics always helps to protect the patients and professionals,if no ethics in place,nothing will go smooth in organizations.