Working in a flawed mental health care system: An ethical challenge

Abstract

Objective: Psychiatrists are under immense ethical pressure when practicing in circumstances that reasonable, informed colleagues would regard as not "good enough" in that they do not adequately meet the needs of patients and patients' families. This article is an examination of the ethical quandaries that ensue and options for response. Method: The authors explore the ways in which mental health systems may become flawed and compare philosophical arguments that deal with the predicament of working in such systems. Results: The principle of fidelity to the patient is compromised in flawed systems, thus threatening professional integrity. Arguments for efficiency or the greater good in the pr..