Hippocratic Oath Essay

The Hippocratic oath helps the physicians provide care that is in the patient’s best interest. Although this oath seems helpful in many inconclusive matters, not everyone can find it relatable or find it straightforward in today’s world. Thus, this oath has been revised several times. A significant revision was made by the World Medical Association (WMA) and later it was revised to present a more non-religious concept, both revisions were made in the 1900s (Thompson, 1987). According to Dr. Iqbal (2014), “the field of medicine, specifically healthcare delivery is rapidly changing and the Hippocratic Oath may not be an adequate social contract.” The oath has been modified to keep in tune with the changing world and modern medicine.

The “code of ethics” defined in Ethical Principles for Everyone in Health Care, clarifies and simplifies the Hippocratic oath, with the addition of “do no harm.” It is easy to understand and makes it relatable globally while keeping the changing healthcare system in mind. Both have a common theme of respect, justice and maintaining confidentiality of patient information. Although the Hippocratic oath is given more importance in the U.S., these “code of ethics” can certainly be applied healthcare worldwide, given the fact that healthcare access is
Should one take it so literally that it defines their practice or should it be more patient centered? Perhaps both go hand-in-hand up to some extent. The oath certainly gives boundaries to physicians to help achieve the optimal decisions and provide care regardless of their personal beliefs. Therefore, it benefits as a binding agreement with a moral framework for problem solving even with the changing healthcare environment and modern medicine. This social contract between physicians and society gives them a sense of commitment and accountability in addition to their job