Person Centered Medicine as an Ethical Imperative

Main Article Content

Xavier Deau
James Appleyard

Abstract

Ethical Codes have been the foundation of medical practice since before Hippocrates. The principles underlying them have focused on the respect for and duty of care to each person as an individual. This person-centeredness is the foundation of the patient physician relationship, which is itself at the heart of medical practice and healthcare. The knowledge, skills and experience needed by a physician should include as much what is gained from the teaching of philosophy, psychology and sociology in their medical training as that from biomedical sciences. This will ensure that with the ever-changing and challenging scientific milieu, the latest advances will be applied sensitively in the best interests of the individual person.

Article Details

Section
Regular Articles
Author Biography

James Appleyard, British Medical Association International Association of Medical Colleges

Past President World Medical AssociationVice President of the British Medical AssociationHon Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the International Association of Medical Colleges 2007-President of the WMA Sept 2003-2004with special areas of interest in Human Rights, Child Health, and Health DatabasesProfessional Work Consultant Children’s Physician at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital from 1971-1998 Professor of Pediatrics, 1985-1995. Dean of Clinical Studies (UK) 1995-1997  St George’s University, Grenada W.I.Dean of Clinical Sciences, Kigezi International School of Medicine, Uganda 2000-2004 British Medical AssociationA Chief Officer for nine years as Chairman of Representative Body 1992-1995.and then as Treasurer 1996-2002 Ethics Chair of the WMA Ethics Committee 1995-1999 Member of the BMAs Ethics Committee 1992-2003Member of the East Kent Research Ethics Committee 2006- Treasurer and (Vice President)  of the British .Paediatric Association. 1983-1988PublicationsOn neonatal topics including coagulation disorders of the New Born,Children with disabilities, medical education, manpower and medical ethics in peer reviewed journals

References

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