Economic and medical-ethical goals in the hospital as the subject of medical education

Definition of the problemEconomic conditions often place clinicians in ethical conflicts between their professional ethics and the economic objectives of the clinic. These potential conflicts often arise between the clinicians and nonclinical hospital management. Medical as well as economic goals are relevant to avoid an inefficient distribution of financial resources in health care and should be consistent with each other. In this regard, the clinicians in particular need to adequately deal with potential economic-ethical conflicts for preserving the medical ethos, avoiding uncritical acceptance of economic demands and to ensure the quality of patient care.MethodsThe present work is an empirical work using secondary data analysis of the medical curricula as well as primary data collected by expert interviews. In addition, adetailed literature search was carried out. Referring to this, national and international publications and amodel project were applied to the research question.ResultsThe empirical investigations reveal that contents of these economic-ethical conflict potentials are taught in medical studies, especially in the cross-sectional areas2 History, Theory and Ethics of Medicine and 3Health Economics, Health System, Public Health Care. As this teaching is freely designable, the heterogeneity between the different medical faculties is huge. However, the results of the guided interviews in particular confirmed the relevance of integrating these contents into medical studies.ConclusionIntegrating contents of economic-ethical conflict potentials are an opportunity to improve the handling of clinicians with these ethical conflicts in favor of patient care. In addition, it is possible to teach these contents in an interprofessional form, thereby strengthening the mutual understanding and cooperation of clinicians and hospital management.