Dr. Matilda Metledge was a passenger on a MAS flight to Kuala Lumpur. During the flight she had to leave her family in order to attend to 3 sick passengers. For her contributory effort MAS was given toiletries and pyjamas. But she asked for an upgrade as a consideration. MAS said NO. And Dr Matilda sent MAS a bill for the service rendered.
"If you are a doctor traveling on a plane and you help someone, isn't a 'thank you' sufficient? Lorraine Long, Medical Error Action Group spokesman said.
Doctors, as part of the Hippocratic Oath, are obliged to treat sick people without expecting rewards. But is this code of ethic to be applied universally? Isn't it the airline's responsibility to take care of such sick people? And if such assistance is provided by a professional in a commercial environment, wouldn't it be fair and reasonable to expect certain considerations for the detriment suffered?
The ethical aspects deals with situations that is not within the confines of a commercial dictates. Example, if a doctor sees someone on the street who had fainted, he has an obligation to attend to the sick person. But if the sick person lies outside his clinic and he attends to him, wouldn't he has the right to charge for the service rendered? This is the penumbra areas and is paradoxical.
"If you are a doctor traveling on a plane and you help someone, isn't a 'thank you' sufficient? Lorraine Long, Medical Error Action Group spokesman said.
Doctors, as part of the Hippocratic Oath, are obliged to treat sick people without expecting rewards. But is this code of ethic to be applied universally? Isn't it the airline's responsibility to take care of such sick people? And if such assistance is provided by a professional in a commercial environment, wouldn't it be fair and reasonable to expect certain considerations for the detriment suffered?
The ethical aspects deals with situations that is not within the confines of a commercial dictates. Example, if a doctor sees someone on the street who had fainted, he has an obligation to attend to the sick person. But if the sick person lies outside his clinic and he attends to him, wouldn't he has the right to charge for the service rendered? This is the penumbra areas and is paradoxical.
7 comments:
" service rendered must be paid "... cos nothing is free in this world.
make no mistake about it, one got to slogged to get where he is.
I wonder whether Lorraine Long works for free. I wonder whether MAS (who ultimately has to eat the liability if these passengers had gotten seriously ill) flies people for free. I wonder whether the busy body of a reporter who wrote this article works for free. If no one does shit for free then why is the doctor expected to work for free?
How much is a live worth?
(assume you are flying Perth to KL departing on Friday 16th nov 07 and returning 18th nov Sunday on MAS)
The cost of a an economy ticket AUD1034.
Cost of business class? AUD3302
Difference both way? AUD 2268
Cost diff one way? 1134
Cost per patient (there were 3)? AUD 378
Cost of public relations disaster making MAS and Malaysia in association look cheap? Priceless...
Dr Mathilda did right. Why should MAS think the good doctor has to volunteer her service?
Ano who commentated before me said it all!
Doctors, like everyone else, have to make a living. So if you visit their clinic for a consultation, of course, you pay for it.
But the profession also has a principle that if there is a medical emergency far away from any medical facility, the doctor is obligated to provide medical assistance as best as he can. The old school doctors never even thought about payments in such a situation.
If the doctor wanted to put a money value on everything, he shouldn't have joined the medical profession.
In case I get flamed for this - I'm not a doctor, and I certainly don't do my normal professional work for free.
But when the situation warrants it, yes, I do volunteer my time, energy and knowledge for a good cause.
`But if the sick person lies outside his clinic & attends to him, wouldn't he has the right to charge for the service rendered?'
In my opinion, its a quasi-contract; a contract which is implied in law to prevent unjust enrichment of one party from the acts of another.The sick person cannot refuse to pay.In this case, i assume the sick person is unconscious. Or can it be Implied-In-Fact Contract assuming the patient is conscious & agreed to pay for the service?- mmudahlupa
Hypocritic Oath?
Imagine u r having a heart attack on air line, u r dying, your doctor came n tell u l am gonna charge u as u ruin my holiday, do u feel good?
If u prefer this , then this doctor is ok, if u feel it is wrong, then do not do calculation like the doctor, she is a disgrace n one would think twice of seeing an aussie doc
Congrats matilda, u r a shame of the prof, l feel ashame l graduated as a doctor because of u, please use your own money which u took from sick people to buy your own business ticket
L hope u get sick on a flight
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