The AMA was founded in part to establish the first national code of medical ethics. Today the Code is widely recognized as authoritative ethics guidance for physicians through its Principles of Medical Ethics interpreted in Opinions of AMA’s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs that address the evolving challenges of contemporary practice.
Nurses hold a primary ethical obligation to promote patients’ well-being; while physicians have overall responsibility for the quality of care that patients receive, good nursing practice requires that nurses voice their concerns when, in the nurse’s professional judgment, a physician order is in error or is contrary to good medical practice. Physicians’ relationships with nurses should be based on mutual respect and trust.
Although physicians have overall responsibility for the quality of care that patients receive, allied health professionals have training and expertise that complements physicians’. Allied health professionals share a common commitment to patient well-being. Physicians’ relationships with allied health professionals should be based on mutual respect and trust.
Physicians have a responsibility to protect patient interests and thus have a corresponding obligation to exercise good professional judgment in inviting industry representatives into the clinical setting. Physicians should recognize that in this setting appropriately trained industry representatives function as consultants.
In health care, teams that collaborate effectively can enhance the quality of care for individual patients. Physicians are uniquely situated to serve as clinical team leaders to synthesize the diverse professional perspectives and recommendations of the team into an appropriate, coherent plan of care for the patients.