conducting “ appropriate medical screening examination ,” providing treatment B u s i n e s s F i n a n c e

1 Crystal

A bystander is an individual who is present at an event or incident but does not take part. I do agree with the common law view point that a bystander has no duty to come to the aid of a person in need to a certain degree. There are individuals who are natural nurtures and have a passion for caring for individuals whether it is their duty or not. So I do not see an issue with a bystander coming to the aid of a person in need. It just depends on what they are trying to do in reference to aiding the individual, and making sure that they meet the necessary qualifications to aid the individual. I think that a doctor, nurse, or other licensed professionals are protected by such a rule because it is their duty to come to the aid of an individual in need. This rule can harm healthcare professionals also because if a bystander is caring for someone who is in need without the proper training, and a health professional is unaware, the healthcare professional will be at fault, and it can also put your organization at risk. An example of a way that a doctor, nurse, or licensed professional can be protected by this rule is if a bystander witnesses an individual choking. If they are qualified to perform CPR, they can potentially save that persons life. Sometimes having bystanders to come to the aid of a person in need can have both positive and negative effects.

2 Andrew

I personally agree that an ordinary standby has no duty to aid a person In need. I do ethically agree that people should help people as this is what God wants us to do. However the world is a very strange place and people behave strangely. I have heard stories where a person went to help a woman being attacked by her husband and instead of her excepting the help and Going to safety she refused. Not only did she refuse but she also became combative to the standbyer. This situation is very unfortunate as the woman need help but probably have other reasons to be submissive to her abuser. The fear of leaving the abuser could have left her children in a vulnerable situation so she had to fight in order to remain with their abuser to protect her children. Situations like that is iffy and very stressful. I would recommend getting official assistance for a woman in a situation like that. Such as calling the police or reaching out to a local domestic violence center that may be able to give her advice. I’ve also heard stories where a standbyer assisted a person that was injured, and the standbyer was sued. I would recommend anyone that is attempting to help aid a injured individual must ask for permission before touching anyone. Touching a person that does not want to be touched is a battery charge. If you get proper consent, yes help them but be mindful of personal protective equipment such as gloves and mask. This is true when it comes to doctors and nurses in the community. They must be mindful of consent and also only practicing first aid in a unsanitized environment is important. I feel that doctors and nurses should not be penalized if they choose not to help in a situation. We must be honest about the ethics of them being paid for their services and also their fear of their own health and safety.

3 Andrew

Does the hospital have a different duty when it comes to supporting poor people that does not have insurance versus individuals that do have insurance, my answer is no. I feel that everyone has the right to life and support rather they are poor or not. The care and treatment in a hospital should remain the same but the difference for a person with insurance they will be seen by follow up physician versus a individual without insurance will only get that immediate care to a stable functioning. Typically a person with insurance will not see that medical crisis as often as a person without insurance. The hospital should have general ethics of treatment to get a person to a stable financially where they can be seen by a primary care doctor to avoid further consequences. I do understand the stress of invasive surgery such as organ transplants If this is an emergency situation a person without insurance should be treated fairly and offered the transplant with governmental insurance. If a person has insurance from their job or out of pocket pay they also should receive the transplant and will have follow-up care. This is all in a ethical world but we all know that is not functioning habit in the hospitals. I do wonder if the attending physician and nurse is aware of the emergency room patient payment status. Of course from the look of some individuals a assumption could be produced. I will feel that it is inappropriate for the physician and attending nurse to be aware of the patient’s payment status. Care should be giving out fairly with hopes that it return the person to a normal functioning status.

4 Ya’Teria

A hospital does not have a different duty to an indigent person who comes to the emergency room than to a person who has insurance. A hospital’s primary mission consists of providing patients with appropriate medical care to maintain or improve their health. One’s financial position cannot influence this gesture. Whether a person can afford treatment or not, a hospital is still required to administer care. Due to their duty to society, treatment cannot be withheld from indigent individuals seeking treatment.

Hospitals are assumed to provide insurance holders with better medical attention. One must remember, a hospital is still a business. These specific healthcare settings always seek to gain profit by administering healthcare services. Philippians 2:3 New International Version states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” A hospital obtains numerous resources that could improve an individual’s health and potentially provide them with a second chance at life. Providing a person with an opportunity to live another day is more favorable than gaining money in turn. During a life or death moment, a hospital should focus solely on improving a person’s health and not their ability to pay.

An indigent person’s financial stability legally cannot prevent them from accessing proper medical services. The federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires any hospital that participates in Medicare and maintains a dedicated emergency department to provide their services. Patients who present at a hospital’s emergency department should never be turned away until they have been seen and examined by qualified healthcare personnel (Showalter, 2015). If an individual comes to a hospital and asks to be treated, whether they have insurance or not, the hospital is responsible for conducting “appropriate medical screening examination,” providing treatment to stabilize the patient, and transferring the patient to another facility if necessary. Therefore, a hospital should treat an indigent person the same as a person who has insurance because they are legally obligated to do so.