The Code of Ethics for an Emergency Room Doctor

Emergency room doctors generally follow the same or similar professional codes of ethics that all physicians observe. Their common responsibility is to provide quality medical care that meets the medical needs of their patients. However, due to some of the special circumstances of emergency medicine, emergency room physicians sometimes follow slightly different standards.

Patient-Centric Principles of Medical Ethics

• The American Medical Association lists nine principles of medical ethics. These include familiar principles of patient-centric care such as practicing medicine with care and compassion, respecting patient's confidentiality and privacy, and supporting access to medical care. The code of ethics includes references to following the law, continuing education and contributing to public health care.

Ethics for Emergency Physicians

• The American College of Emergency Physicians reinforces and adds to these principles with its own 10 principles of ethics. These include responding without prejudice or partiality to patients in need of medical care, respecting the rights of vulnerable patients, communicating truthfully with patients and working cooperatively with medical care teams.

Issues for ER Doctors

• Due to time constraints and the need to rapidly move in emergency cases, ER doctors must face several ethical issues in their profession. These issues include deciding whether or not a patient is mentally competent to make his own health care choices, how to respond with requests to refuse care, the ethical limits of patient confidentiality, waiving informed consent in emergency conditions, and obligations as a "Good Samaritan" if doctors are away from their duty station.