Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment

Abstract

Abstract Medical practice abounds with conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment. Conflicts of interest occur when there are conflicts between the physician’s obligations to the patient and the physician’s self-interest. Conflicts of interest arise because surgeons have multiple self-interests that they cannot or will not abandon in their role as physicians. Conflicts of commitment exist when the surgeon’s obligations to the patient collide with responsibilities to people other than the patient or himself. Conflicts of commitment often arise when the physician simply cannot excuse himself or herself from these obligations, many of which are not related to his professional persona.