Perspectives of physicians who work in public hospitals about ethical problems in medical practice

Background: The recognition of ethical problems in medical practice and the potential harmful effects that they may have on patients, underscores the importance of the ethical training of professionals as well as the development of Ethics Committees in Healthcare institutions. However, there is a paucity of national studies about the type of problems faced by professionals and the role of Ethics Committees in hospitals. Aim: To explore the perception about ethical problems in clinical practice of Chilean physicians of different specialties of two public teaching hospitals. Material and Methods: Physicians of both sexes and different specialties working in two teaching hospitals of Metropolitan Santiago, were invited to participate in focus groups of seven to eight participants. They discussed the ethical problems faced during their clinical practice. A content analysis based on the Grounded Theory was performed with the obtained information. Results: Different types of ethical problems could be distinguished according to their content and the actors involved. The data obtained shows that the ethical dimension is present in the daily work of physicians. The evolution of the narrative throughout the interviews corroborated the importance of installing ethical issues and culture in the working routine of health care professionals. Conclusions: Human resources and an adequate institutional environment are required to promote the discussion about ethical issues such as the relationship between physicians and patient, the role of teaching in health care and institutional decisions.