Radiologic Technology: Ethics and Ethical Behaviour

Moral Reasoning and Ethical Behaviour

• Moral reasoning is a systematic approach to making ethical decisions, using values, facts, and logic to decide the best course of action.
• It involves defending ethical judgments against criticisms of others, providing rational grounds for moral decisions.

Professionalism and Etiquette

• Professionals must not permit issues of personal morality to supersede group moral duty to provide quality patient care.
• Ethical conflicts may trouble healthcare workers when the ethics of the group are not compatible with personal beliefs.

Ethical Imperatives in Healthcare

• Integrity: personal honesty and truthfulness in all dealings.
• Accountability: taking responsibility for one's actions and their consequences.
• Competence: possessing the skills, knowledge, and expertise to perform duties effectively.
• Compassion: showing empathy and concern for patients and their well-being.

Nature of Ethics

• Ethics is concerned with standards, rules, or guidelines for moral or socially approved conduct.
• Ethical standards apply to conduct that could have a significant effect on people's lives.
• In cases of conflict, ethical standards always win over personal standards.

Ethics Values

• Autonomy: patients have the right to determine their own healthcare.
• Justice: distributing the benefits and burdens of care across society.
• Beneficence: doing good for the patient.
• Non-maleficence: avoiding harm to the patient.

Health Ethics

• Medical ethics involves examining specific problems, usually clinical, and applying ethical principles to resolve them.

Lawsuit Process

• A lawsuit begins when a complainant files a complaint against a defendant with the court.
• Phases of a lawsuit include the pleading phase, discovery phase, trial, and post-decision appeal process.

Code of Professional Ethics for Radiologic Technologists and X-Ray Technologists

• Article I: Relation with the State and Society
  • Radiologic technologists and X-ray technologists should be aware of the supreme authority of the state and adhere to laws and regulations.
  • They should consider the welfare and well-being of the public and the interest of the state.
• Article II: Relation with Patients/Clients
  • Patients/clients are the focus in the practice of Radiologic Technology and X-Ray Technology.
  • Radiologic technologists and X-ray technologists must act with dignity and sincerity and keep in confidence any data or findings obtained in the performance of their duty.
• Article III: Relation with Other Allied Professionals
  • Radiologic technologists and X-ray technologists should bear in mind that their profession is a public trust and maintain the dignity and integrity of their profession.
• Article IV: Relation to Agency
  • Radiologic technologists and X-ray technologists should assist in the improvement of governmental agencies' functions and lighten their patient's workload.
• Article V: Relationship with Oneself
  • Radiologic technologists and X-ray technologists should always be honest, dependable, level-headed, and morally upright.
  • They should provide for their professional growth through continuing education and research.

Physician-Patient Relationship

• Trust is a fundamental characteristic of the physician-patient relationship.
• Patients must trust that their physicians will work in their best interests to achieve optimal health outcomes.
• The relationship involves respect for patient autonomy, confidentiality, and privacy.### Rights and Responsibilities of Patients
• Patients have 15 rights, including:
  • Right to good quality health care and humane treatment
  • Right to dignity
  • Right to be informed of their rights and obligations
  • Right to choose their physician/health institution
  • Right to informed consent
  • Right to refuse diagnostic and medical treatment
  • Right to refuse participation in medical research
  • Right to religious belief and practice
  • Right to privacy and confidentiality
  • Right to disclosure of and access to information
  • Right to correspondence and to receive visitors
  • Right to medical records
  • Right to health education
  • Right to leave against medical advice
  • Right to express grievances
• Patients have 16 obligations, including:
  • Know their rights
  • Provide adequate, accurate, and complete information
  • Report unexpected health changes
  • Understand the purpose and cost of treatment
  • Accept the consequences of their own actions
  • Respect the physician's decision based on medical reasons
  • Ensure the integrity and authenticity of medical records
  • Participate in the training of competent future physicians
  • Report infractions and exhaust the grievance mechanism

Legal Doctrines Applied to Medical Practice

• Doctrine of Foreseeability: a person cannot be held liable for negligence if the injury sustained by the patient is due to unforeseen conditions
• Doctrine of Force Majeure: no person shall be responsible for events that cannot be foreseen and are inevitable
• Doctrine of Respondeat Superior: let the master answer for the acts of subordinates
• Doctrine of Res Ipsa Loquitur: let the thing speak for itself
• Rescue Doctrine: anyone who negligently causes harm to a person or property may be liable to one who is injured in an effort to rescue the imperiled person or property
• Fellow Servant Doctrine: if a servant (employee) was injured on account of the negligence of a fellow servant (employee), the employer cannot be held liable
• Doctrine of Continuing Negligence: contemplates an unfailing duty of the defendant to appraise, make necessary investigations, or examine the patient's injury with reasonable care and skill

Professional Ethics, Jurisprudence, and Cultural Sensitivity

• RA 7431: "An Act Regulating the Practice of Radiologic Technology in the Philippines, Creating the Board of Radiologic Technology, Defining its Powers and Functions, and for Other Purposes"

• The practice of radiologic technology includes any and all acts by which one renders, furnishes, or contracts to render or furnish professional service as a radiologic technologist

• The Board of Radiologic Technology is composed of a Chairman and four members, all appointed by the President of the Philippines

• The Board has the power to:

  • Promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the maintenance of the standards and ethics of the profession
  • Adopt a seal to authenticate its official documents### The Radiologic Technology Board

• The Board shall exercise its powers and duties in accordance with Presidential Decree Numbered Two Hundred and Twenty-Three.

• The three radiologic technologists appointed as members of the first Board shall be deemed automatically registered as radiologic technologists upon assumption of their duties.

Compensation of Board Members

• Members of the Board shall receive the same compensation as members of other Boards under the supervision of the Commission as provided for in the General Appropriations Act.

Removal of Board Members

• Any member of the Board may be removed from office by the President upon the recommendation of the Commission for neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional, immoral, or dishonorable conduct.

Term of Office

• The members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three years from the date of their appointment until their successors shall have been appointed and duly qualified.

Duties and Functions of the Board

• To enforce the provisions of this Act.
• To administer oaths in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
• To issue and, after due investigation, suspend or revoke certificates of registration for the practice of radiologic technology and x-ray technology.
• To investigate any violation of this Act of the rules and regulations issued thereunder.

Annual Report

• The Board shall, at the end of each calendar year, submit to the Commission an annual report of its activities and proceedings during the year.

Exemption from Examination

• The first members of the Board of Radiologic Technology are exempt from examination.
• Those who, prior to the approval of this Act, have passed the Civil Service examination for x-ray technicians, or the examination for the private sector x-ray technicians, or the proficiency examination for medical radiation technicians administered by the Department of Health through its Radiation Health Office, Radiological Health Service, or Radiation Health Service, are exempt from examination.

Qualifications for Examination

• An applicant for examination must be a Filipino citizen.
• An applicant must be of good moral character and has not been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude.
• An applicant must be a holder of a baccalaureate degree in radiologic technology from a school, college or university recognized by the Government if he applies for the radiologic technology examination.

Scope of Examination in X-ray Technology

• The examination in x-ray technology shall cover the following subjects:
  • Radiation Physics and Radiation Protection (10%)
  • Radiology and Equipment Maintenance (10%)
  • Radiographic Positioning (10%)
  • Special Procedures (10%)
  • Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Terminology (15%)
  • Photochemistry and Darkroom Procedures (10%)
  • Film Analysis (5%)
  • Nursing and Departmental Procedures in Radiology (5%)
  • Professional Ethics (5%)

Scope of Examination in Radiologic Technology

• The examination in radiologic technology shall cover the following subjects:
  • Radiation Physics and Equipment Maintenance (10%)
  • Radiobiology and Radiation Protection (10%)
  • Radiographic Positioning (10%)
  • Radiographic Technique (10%)
  • Special Procedures (10%)
  • Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Terminology (10%)
  • Photochemistry and Film Analysis (5%)
  • Nursing and Departmental Procedures in Radiology (5%)
  • Professional Ethics (5%)
  • Ultrasound (5%)
  • Radiation Therapy (5%)
  • Nuclear Medicine (5%)
  • Radiologic Pathology (5%)
  • Computed Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging (5%)

Report of Ratings

• The Board shall, within 120 days after the date of completion of the examination, report the rating obtained by each candidate to the Commission.

Grounds for Disciplinary Action

• The following are grounds for disciplinary action:
  • Unprofessional, immoral, or dishonorable conduct.
  • Using an expired license, or suspended or revoked certificate of registration.
  • Giving any false or forged evidence to the Board of Radiologic Technology in order to obtain a certificate of registration.
  • Posing or advertising as a registered radiologic and/or x-ray technologist or using any other means tending to convey the impression that he is a registered radiologic and/or x-ray technologist.
  • Violation of any of the provisions of this Act.