Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values to the practice of clinical medicine and in scientific research. Medical ethics allow for people, regardless of background, to be guaranteed quality and principled care. It is based on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the case of any confusion or conflict. These values include the respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. These tenets allow doctors, care providers, and families to create a treatment plan and work towards the same common goal without any conflict. Succeeding in...

The evolution of the healthcare system in the U.S. has seen numerous changes in the last 30 years where fee-for-service was the mainstay of reimbursement models and hospitals were managed by physicians and patient care was key. The early 1990's saw the emergence of HMOs and other managed care models with physicians handing over leadership roles to corporate entities whose main concern was the bottom line and profitability while patient care and satisfaction suffered. The Healthcare Collapse: Where We've been and Where We Need to Go explores the low morale of physicians in this...