Final answer:
Medical decision-making is based on patient need and maximizing benefits to society. Utilitarian philosophy and care ethics are two approaches to making medical decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medical decision-making is based on patient need and maximizing benefits to society. This is in contrast to economic decision-making, which primarily focuses on financial factors. In medical decision-making, the main priority is the well-being of the patient and the overall benefit it brings to society.
One approach to medical decision-making is based on utilitarian philosophy, which seeks to maximize happiness for the greatest number of people. This involves weighing the benefits of treatment against the suffering of the patient and their loved ones, as well as the cost and opportunity costs of providing care. For example, if a patient has no chance of recovery and there are other patients who may recover, resources may be allocated to those with better chances of recovery.
An alternative approach to decision-making in medicine is care ethics, which emphasizes the importance of understanding and considering the views of all parties involved in the conflict. The goal is to arrive at an educated and informed decision that takes into account the values of compassion, kindness, and responsibility.