What Are The Ethical Implications Of Surrogate Decision Making

According to Brock (1991), surrogate decision making refers to a substituted judgment when a patient is incompetent in decision making and has not given any advance directive regarding his treatment. In such cases, surrogate decision making plays a key role. Traditionally, people rely on family members or close relatives to make proxy decisions. Most health care professionals choose between spouse, husband, father, mother, adult children of the patient to make the decision for him. But, as Brock (1991) says, these surrogate decision makers have to maintain some standards. Before making a decision, the surrogate decision maker has to deeply evaluate and analyze the wish, needs, values, and belief of that patient. He has to examine all these factors carefully. The surrogate merely speaks on
It should further consider ethical consultation, a valid second or third opinion, and best-for-the-patient policy. He has to evaluate and examine the potential and probable best future for the patient. Brock (1991) stated that this condition relies upon ethical judgments and moral values. As the patient is unable to decide for himself, it is the substitute decision maker's duty to determine what's best for him in such live or die situation. But, when there are no surrogates, it is generally the expert physicians who make the ultimate decision according to the best possible interests of the patient. A physician never wants anything bad to his patient. In this framework, the physicians or health care representatives are ones who mostly make the correct choices, because they have the understanding with the patients, realization of moral values and high professional values influenced by quality ethics. The framework guideline of surrogate decision making strictly opts out factors such as assumptions about what others would have decided in such