The ethical dilemma of population-based medical decision making.
Over the past several years, there has been a growing interest in population-based medicine. Some elements in healthcare have used population-based medicine as a technique to decrease healthcare expenditures. However, in their daily practice of medicine, physicians must grapple with the question of whether they incorporate population-based medicine when making decisions for an individual patient. They therefore may encounter an ethical dilemma. Physicians must remember that the physician-patient relationship is of paramount importance and that even well-conducted research may not be applicable to an individual patient.
Kirsner
R S
RS
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, School of Medicine, FL, USA.
Federman
D G
DG
D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D003363:Cost Control / Q000379:methods; D003657:Decision Making; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000592:standards; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006292:Health Priorities; D018579:Patient Selection; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014481:United States