Deontological Aspects of Medicine, More Specifically for the Surgeon in a Changing Social Environment*

M. DeneyerFaculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel;Assigned member of the National Council of the Belgian Order of PhysiciansView further author information

E. De GrootFaculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit BrusselView further author information

S. DecretonFaculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit BrusselView further author information

P. VerheijenMember of the Provincial Council (Vlaams-Brabant) of the Order of PhysiciansView further author information

P. Van den BrandeFaculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel;Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery, UZ Brussel ;View further author information

P. BroosPresident of the Provincial Council (Vlaams-Brabant) of the Order of Physicians;Director of Surgery, University Hospital Gasthuisberg Leuven.View further author information

Abstract

In this article the authors highlight a few ethical and deontological bottlenecks that currently exist in surgery. In particular, it concerns the poor application of patient’s rights legislation so far by surgeons in the field, the need for fixed agreements in hospital departments and in hospitals, and the difficult exercise of handling patient information privacy.

Furthermore the reduction in the number of candidate-specialists and subsequent consequences are considered. To guarantee the quality criteria within ‘office-based medicine’, structural solutions are presented. To conclude, the subject of publicity via internet sites is dealt with.

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