Discuss your most valuable learning experience related to this unit. (This might include facts, concepts, insights, or ideas derived from the course content, outside research, your professor, peers, or professionals in the field.)

The course book Ethics in Health Administration, specifically Chapter 6, “Market Forces and Ethics,” has provided me with a valuable learning experience and increased my awareness of the challenges facing health delivery system management concerning political, economic, and consumer-driven health indicator forces (Russo et al.,2015). The chapter provided me with comprehensive knowledge and exploration of how market forces, risk, and competitions help shape the ethical decision-making process in the healthcare context. One of the vital insights gained through the chapter is the recognition that market forces and ethical considerations are not always aligned; hence in a competitive healthcare market, healthcare organizations may prioritize financial considerations over ethical concerns (Singer& Adams,2014). For instance, a hospital may invest less in community-benefitting activities rather than risk losing money by participating in them.

While discussing these course concepts in class, we concluded that healthcare administrators must balance competing interests, such as ethical principles of non-maleficence and beneficence, while making decisions. Additionally, it is evident that the market forces and ethical considerations in healthcare are complex; hence, healthcare administrators should understand them before making decisions.

Discuss an example(s) of knowledge, awareness, or skills you gained from this unit that might apply to your current or future career.

This section’s main takeaway is that people increasingly seek CAM services to supplement conventional medical care. Alternative medicine includes acupuncture, chiropractic, and herbs. Combining CAM with conventional care improves patient satisfaction and health outcomes. Healthcare managers should learn about the pros and cons of using complementary and alternative medicine (Russo et al.,2015). The lesson also emphasized CAM regulation in healthcare institutions. Legal or regulatory constraints may preclude insurers from funding CAM therapies and integrating some CAM services into conventional care. Healthcare management should know these issues and work with regulators to maintain compliance.

Medical authorities must also be informed of CAM’s risks. Herbal drugs can interact adversely with patients’ regular meds or harm them. Before integrating them into traditional medical treatment, the pros and cons of any complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) service must be considered. This unit’s information on introducing CAM into conventional healthcare services can help healthcare administrators enhance their careers. By offering complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) services, healthcare administrators can improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, and safety.

Discuss ideas, material, research, topics, etc., you did not have time to investigate fully but would like to revisit. Consider storing your links in RefWorks for future access.

I feel that throughout the learning process, I did not explore about the technologies in healthcare and their impact on healthcare ethics and principles. I hoped that I would explore emerging technologies such as data analytics tools, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, and big data. Emerging medical technologies are growing rapidly and might revolutionize how doctors treat patients. These technologies have complicated ethical consequences; therefore, careful thinking is needed to use them in a way that benefits patients and is ethical. One of the biggest ethical issues with medical technology is patient confidentiality. As more patient’s data is gathered and kept electronically the potential for illegal access and usage grows. This raises ethical questions about medical data use and the patient’s right to privacy and confidentiality. New healthcare technology also raises autonomy issues. As telemedicine becomes more common, patients may lose their input in medical treatment decisions, violating the patient’s autonomy. Hence, I would like to explore and gain more knowledge of new technologies in the healthcare sector.

Create a list of resources for future reference and use in your courses and career. This might include articles, authors, websites, professional organizations, research studies, publications, etc.

1. Senbekov, M., Saliev, T., Bukeyeva, Z., Almabayeva, A., Zhanaliyeva, M., Aitenova, N., … & Fakhradiyev, I. (2020). The recent progress and applications of digital technologies in healthcare: a review. International journal of telemedicine and applications, 2020.
2. Drazich, B. F., Abshire Saylor, M., Zeiler, S. R., & Bahouth, M. N. (2022). Providers’ Perceptions of Neurology Care Delivered Through Telemedicine Technology. Telemedicine and e-Health.
3. Secinaro, S., Calandra, D., Secinaro, A., Muthurangu, V., & Biancone, P. (2021). The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare: a structured literature review. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 21, 1-23.
4. Knight, S., & Papanikitas, A. (2020). Teaching and learning ethics in healthcare. Clinical Education for the Health Professions: Theory and Practice, 1-19.

References

Russo, R., Diener, I., & Stitcher, M. (2015). The low risk and high return of integrative health services. Healthcare Financial Management, 69(11), 114–120.

Singer, J., & Adams, J. (2014). Integrating complementary and alternative medicine into mainstream healthcare services: The perspectives of health service managers. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14, 167.