Healthcare Ethics in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

• Healthcare practitioner is a qualified person who provides or helps provide healthcare services (diagnostic, curative, or rehabilitative) affecting health conditions.
• This includes physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, technicians in radiology, nursing, anaesthesia, laboratories, pharmacies, optometry, epidemiology, prosthetics, physiotherapy, dental care, diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, laser equipment, and surgical operations.
• All healthcare practitioners have duties to follow the system of healthcare practices.
• Executive regulations specify guidelines of healthcare professional ethics.
• Commitment to guidelines is a commitment to the system of practicing healthcare in Saudi Arabia

Professional Codes of Ethics

• Codes of ethics provide standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical norms for members of a given discipline.
• Codes articulate values and beliefs, serve as a standard, and reflect ethical principles shared among members.
• Professional codes inform the public about acceptable conduct standards.
• Codes assist the public in understanding professional responsibilities.
• Codes outline major ethical considerations of a profession.
• Codes provide guidelines for professional practice.
• Codes serve as a guide for self-regulation within a discipline.

Healthcare Practitioner Ethics

• Healthcare practitioners should demonstrate and develop ethical standards.
• This includes demonstrating ethical standards within oneself and between colleagues (especially recognizing that members complement each other).
• Devotion and Worship of Allah (SWT) is important to each healthcare practitioner.
• Each practitioner should uphold honesty, integrity, humbleness, respect, patience, passion, love, moderation, and fairness.

Duties of Healthcare Practitioners Towards Patients

• Healthcare practitioners have a duty of self-accountability, avoiding trivialities, and treating patients kindly.
• This includes being welcoming (smiling), listening attentively and empathising with patient's complaints, and treating all patients fairly.
• Healthcare practitioners should consider patient's interests and rights, and provide care with accuracy and proficiency.
• Incompetent patients may not be able to give consent (e.g., unconscious, children, insane). Consent may be sought from a legal guardian (e.g., parent). If this is not possible and life is in danger, care can be provided without consent.
• Patient privacy and confidentiality are essential, even if disclosure is necessary for public benefit, preventing harm, or a judicial request.

Duties of Healthcare Practitioners Towards the Community

• Healthcare practitioners should be role models in the community, through their faith.
• They should exhibit high knowledge and efficiency in their profession.
• They should utilize health resources appropriately.
• Practitioners should consider the media and correctly communicate with the community.
• Practitioners should improve standards and quality of health services.

Duties of Healthcare Practitioners Towards Professional Colleagues

• Practitioners should treat colleagues well and with respect.
• Help and support colleagues as needed.
• Direct criticism of colleagues in front of patients should be avoided.

Duties of Healthcare Practitioners Towards Themselves

• Practitioners should act with devotion and good intentions.
• They should be well-versed in professional regulations and procedures.
• Keeping up with the latest information and skills development (i.e. learning through conferences, etc.) and remaining responsible for self-development is important.
• Practitioners should seek help when facing personal or professional problems so as not to negatively affect patients and the profession.

Duties of Healthcare Practitioners Towards Their Profession

• Practitioners should protect and maintain the reputation of the profession through professionalism.
• Be dedicated to the profession; practice with excellence and skill; respect patient rights; and treat patients with respect and appropriate manners.
• Follow appropriate standards of personal behaviour and public morality when working.

This quiz explores the duties and ethical guidelines that healthcare practitioners must adhere to in Saudi Arabia. It covers professional codes of ethics essential for maintaining integrity and professionalism within the healthcare system. Test your knowledge on various healthcare roles and their ethical responsibilities.