Title: Healthcare commercialisation in Jordan's private hospitals: ethics versus profit

Authors: Salem S. Al-Oun; Ziad Smadi

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Al Al-Bayt University, P.O. Box 130040, Mafraq 25113, Jordan. ' Department of Business Administration, Al Al-Bayt University, P.O. Box 130040, Mafraq 25113, Jordan

Abstract: The study is concerned with ethical issues that arise because private sector|s healthcare provision in Jordan is under the influence of profit. The study examines to what extent Jordanian private hospitals hold on to medical care ethics, and whether Jordanian doctors in private hospitals experience conflicts of ethics and provision of medical care, and to what extent Jordanian doctors hold on to their ethics. Research methods included interviews with 30 doctors from private hospitals, ten interviews with doctors from the public sector, and five informally interviews with patients. Findings revealed that while health professionals in private hospitals are obligated to their patients, they compromise their professional standards to please their owners. Doctors indicated that private hospitals: consider the cost of medical care and make decisions on behalf of patients; avoid taking care of unfortunate and financially-uncapable patients; admit the fortunate and financially capable patients; and welcome short-term illnesses for profit.

Keywords: healthcare commercialisation; private sector; private hospitals; medical ethics; profit; obligations; health services; Jordan; ethical issues; medical care; doctors; public sector; health professionals; compromise; professional standards; decision making; short-term illnesses; financially capable patients; patient finances; financial incapability; behavioural research; healthcare research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBHR.2011.043417

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research, 2011 Vol.2 No.4, pp.362 - 374

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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