Allied Health

Professionals and it’s

Moral Implications
Prepared by :
Aguirre, Franklin
Celso, Kerby
Cuaño, Ma. Joy Danielle
 Allied Health Profession(AHP)
• Defined by Association of Schools of Allied Health
Professions as:
– “the segment of the health care field that delivers
services involving the identification, evaluation
and prevention of diseases and disorders; dietary
and nutrition services; and rehabilitation and
health systems management.”
• Compromises 60% of the total healthcare workforce
• There are five million allied health care providers in
the United States
 Allied Health Profession(AHP)
• Federal Definition:
- ACA or Affordable Care Act :
 “Allied Health Professional is defined in
the Public health Service Act as :
(a) Has graduated and received an allied
health professions degree/certificate
(b) employed in a federal, state, local or
tribal public health agency or in facilities
wherein patient might require different health care
services
 Allied Health Profession(AHP)
They are health professionals who use :
• scientific principles and evidence-based practice for
the diagnosis , evaluation and treatment of acute and
chronic diseases
• promote disease prevention and wellness for
optimum health
• apply administration and management skills to
support health care systems in a variety of settings.
Roles of a Allied Health Professional (AHP)

• Work directly or indirectly with a patient practice

independently
• work as part of a health care team- providing
continual evaluation and assessment of patient
needs
• inform the attending clinician of the patient's
progress and response to treatment.
 Allied Health Profession(AHP)
• Categories :
(A) Technicians (assistants)
- trained to perform procedures and their education
lasts less than two years.
- required to work under the supervision of
technologists or therapists.
-Examples : Cardiovascular technicians,
ophthalmic medical technicians, medical
assistants
 Allied Health Profession(AHP)
(B) Therapists/technologists
- educational process : more intensive and includes
acquiring procedural skills.
- students learn to : (a) evaluate patients, (b) diagnose
conditions, (c) develop treatment plans and (d)
understand the rationale behind various treatments in
order to judge their appropriateness and potential side
effects.
- Examples : Anesthesiologist assistant, neurodiagnostic
technologist and pathologists’ assistant
 Other Allied Health Profession(AHP)
- Some of these allied health professionals particularly
in the Philippines are graduates in medicine,
psychology, occupational therapy and some others
listed below :
• Art therapist
•Podiatrists or Chiropodists
•Dietitians
•Nursing
•Respiration Therapy
•Radiation Therapy
•Physician assistant
•Physical Therapy
 Other Allied Health Profession(AHP)
•Paramedic science
•Health information administration
•Dental Hygiene
•Speech- Language Pathology
•Cytotechnology
•Occupational Therapy
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• In practices of a medical technology, it is
imperative to observe and know the different
professional ethics while interacting with
colleagues, patients and other member of the
health care team
• Professional ethics – deals with how and what
a professional should or should not do in the
workplace.
 Professional ethics

- addresses the question “What I should do in

this situation ?
-Knowledge with professional ethics can guide

staffs from :
(a) analyzing assumptions
(b) arriving at ethical decisions
 Code of Professional ethics :
- Perform duties and responsibilities objectively
- Served in a lawful and honest manner
- Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of
information obtained in coursed of duty
- Maintain competency in respective fields and
agree to undertake those activities which expect
to complete professional competence
- Perform tasks with full confidence, absolute
reliability and accuracy.
- Be dedicated
Code ethics of Medical Technologist
• Code ethics of Medical Technologist
Revised code of ethics as of March 7,1997
- accept responsibilities inherent to being a
professional
- uphold the law and shall not engage in illegal work
- avoid associating or being with any enterprise of
questionable character.
- Work and act in spirit of fairness
- Use only honorable means of competition for
professional employment or services
Code ethics of Medical Technologist
- accept employment from more than one
employer only when there is no conflict of interest
- Perform professional work in a manner that merits full
confidence and trust
- Review professional work of other medical
technologists fairly and in confidence when requested
- Advance the profession by exchanging general
information and experience with fellow colleagues
and other professionals
- Restrict praises, criticisms, views, and opinions within
constructive limits
Code ethics of Medical Technologist
- Treat any information acquired about
individuals in course of work as confidential
and divulged only to authorized persons or
when consent is given
- Report any infractions of these principles pf
professional conduct to authorities responsible
for enforcement
- I hereby pledged and subscribe to conduct at
all times these principles in a manner befitting
the dignity of my profession
 Moral Principles in Medical Technology Ethics:

- Autonomy
- Beneficence
- Nonmaleficence
- Justice
- Respect for Dignity
- Truthfulness and honesty
- Stewardship
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical technologies should carry their jobs:
(a) conscientiously
(b) and have responsibility for their own
actions
• If conflicts arises with the convictions or
principles of the profession – they have right to
turn down work that affect its quality and and
control.
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Being in a profession, medical technologist should
pay attention to the risk of contagion, hygiene and
external environment.
• Medical technologist should keep inform of the
latest advancements in their fields of education and
enhance their professional skills
• Code of ethics serve as a guidelines for making
appropriate decision during mistakes in practice
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical technologist and patients
 Patients rights include:
-right to be treated with dignity
-right to self – determination
-right to not be harmed or hurt
-right to protect their own identity and
individuality
-right to participate in decision making process
along with professionals (pertaining to his/her
welfare and condition)
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical technologist and patients
- Medical technologist should clearly inform
the patient about possibilities and
limitations of prescribed treatments to
gain : cooperation
- Written consent should be provided by the
patients prior to the trials
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical technologist and patients
- Medical Data Breach : pressing issue for
medical profession due to advancement in
technology
- Confidentiality (in the field of med.) is about
protecting patients info and records.
- Negligence to safeguard security of patient
records jeopardize patient privacy leading to
lack of trust in medical practitioner
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical Technologists and their colleagues:
- Medical technologist should respect the work
of their colleagues and support them
professionally.
- Tolerance toward professionals work methods
and circumstances must be exhibited
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical Technologists and their workplace :
- Ethics : rules and values used in professional
setting . Setting standards/ethics by professional :
show respect honesty and trust.
- Medical technologist are expected to :
*Share their knowledge to other colleagues
and professionals
*Work on establishing and building
cooperation and respect with other professionals
*Contribute toward improving public healthcare
services
 Moral obligations and responsibilities of
Medical Technologist
• Medical Technologists and their Society:
- Medical Technologist should keep themselves
informed of the developments and changes in
biomedical and political healthcare
legislations.
- Ensuring that all biological materials are
disposed in an ethical and environmentally
safe manner
 Moral Implications (Issues)
• Stem cells
• Euthanasia
• Cloning
• Artificial Birth Control
• Organ Transplant and Blood donation
 STEM CELL

A stem cell is a cell with 

the unique ability to

develop into
specialised cell types in
the body. In the future
they may be used to
replace cells and
tissues that have been
damaged or lost due to
disease.
 EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia: A doctor is 

allowed by law to end a

person's life by a
painless means, as long
as the patient and their
family agree.

Assisted suicide: A
doctor assists a patient
to commit suicide if they
request it.
 CLONING

Clones are organisms that are
exact genetic copies. Every
single bit of their DNA is
identical. Clones can happen
naturally—identical twins are
just one of many examples. Or
they can be made in the lab.

Cloning is the process of
generating a genetically
identical copy of a cell or an
organism.
 ARTIFICIAL BIRTH CONTROL

Artificial birth control can be
defined as any product, procedure
or practice that uses artificial or
unnatural means to prevent
pregnancy. Barrier methods such
as condoms and diaphragms,
hormonal methods such as the pill
and IUDs, and surgical sterilization
procedures such as a vasectomy or
hysterectomy are all considered to
be artificial birth control methods.
The withdrawal method is
considered by some to be artificial
birth control, as well.
 ORGAN TRANSPLANT

Organ transplantation
is a medical
procedure in which
an organ is removed
from one body and
placed in the body of
a recipient, to replace
a damaged or missing
organ.
 BLOOD DONATION

A blood donation occurs
when a person voluntarily
has blood drawn and
used for transfusions
and/or made into
biopharmaceutical
medications by a process
called fractionation
(separation of whole-
blood components).
References :
• https://explorehealthcareers.org/field/allied-
healthprofessions/
• http://www.asahp.org/what-is
• https://www.tsft.nhs.uk/about-your-
hospital/working-here/careers/allied-health-
professionals/
• Surba S. and Florida J. (2013). Introduction to
Medical Technology with science, technology
and society

https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-a-
stem-cell

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/1
82951.php

https://www.britannica.com/science/cloning

https://www.modernmom.com/2c29a41c-
051f-11e2-9d62-404062497d7e.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplan
tation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_donation