Abstract

Introduction: The board of directors of a hospital, seeking to get out of the economic crisis that overwhelming the institution, decided that all patients over 60 years of age who undergo surgery must spend the first postoperative night in the intensive care service, also requested doctors to increase the use of its imaging equipment, the clinical laboratory and promote the purchase of brand-name drugs in the hospital pharmacy. Several doctors at the institution question the measure and refuse to comply with it because it does not correspond to good medical practice and because it means putting the financial interests of the institution before the best interests of the patients. The board insists on its decision and reiterates that the doctors must comply with it.

Physicians who do not agree with these decisions appeal to the hospital ethics committee, asking it to fulfill its role in defending the rights of patients and their best interests and rescind the measure. After several sessions of analysis and discussion, the committee supported the doctors and asked the board of directors to repeal the decision as not being compatible with an ethical exercise of the provision of health services and violating the rights of patients. The board accepts the autonomous decisions of the committee.