Vamc Ethics the Lincolnville Vamc Maintains Certain

VAMC Ethics

The Lincolnville VAMC maintains certain base levels of ethical standards, and in some areas indeed exceeds standard ethical rules and practices while at others it most definitely comes in behind the majority of medical institutions. Socially and culturally, for example, the entire VAMC agency is rather narrow-minded, and though efforts have been taken to address this ethical shortcoming they have not been especially successful as of yet (Hunter & Schmidt 2010). This is perhaps especially true when it comes to the recognition and treatment of mental health issues, which some VMAC staff ascribe to or explain by drawing cultural inferences (Hunter & Schmidt 2010). In order to more adequately meet the standards of the medical profession at large as well as the stated values and goals of the United States government and the VA system, a statement of ethics and moral values is necessary, both for the specific issues of cultural awareness and for other ethical issues currently being faced.

There have been some problems noted in the VA system in regards to guaranteeing informed consent, namely that often times "permission" is sought and obtained, but that this permission does not necessarily meet the standards of informed consent -- alternative treatments and the risks associated with a given course are not always fully explained when "permission" is obtained (Upadhyay et al. 2008). Steps have been suggested to remedy this situation, but have not been fully implemented. When it comes to ensuring patient confidentiality, however, the Veteran's Administration as a whole appears to be rather successful. Its ability to both protect and easily transmit data as necessary has been commended by researchers (Layman 2008; Howlader et al. 2009).

Due to the nature of the Lincolnville VAMC and the very well established hierarchy of the military, the issue of dual relationships is a constant issue for the institution. The military hierarchy that creates these dual relationship complexities, however, itself provides a solution to the potential problems created by these dual relationships. The strict code of conduct and the well-understood hierarchy that exists at al levels of the military makes it quite easy to remain within ethical guidelines both as medical professionals and as members of the military, and deviance in such behavior is not looked upon lightly, holding individuals strongly to this applied code of ethics. Another ethical leg-up that the VA system as a whole and the Lincolnville VAMC in particular is in the recent technological growth and expansion that has radically changed the way certain processes are carried out within the system and its individual institutions (Kizer et al. 2009). With better integrated information networks and a variety of treatment- and administrative-related equipment and software, care within the VA system has been made far more efficient and effective, as well as presenting a cost savings to all paying parties (Kizer & Dudley 2009).