Abstract
Gift giving is generally well-intentioned and graciously accepted to healthcare professionals but it is also one of the concerns that cause an ethical dilemma in health care. Is the gift giving ethically appropriate? Tangible guidance about how healthcare professionals would respond to gift giving is possibly scarce and non-specific. In cases where there is an absence of hospital policy specifying how to treat patients’ gifts, healthcare professionals may need to reflect several factors when addressing the dilemmas. This factor includes a reflection on the implications of responding to the gifts.
Highlights
Gift giving from patients to healthcare professionals usually well-intentioned and graciously embraced but it is still one of the grey topics that create ethical uncertainty in the healthcare context
The General Medical Council (GMC), United Kingdom (2) states that doctors must not accept patients’ gifts if they can affect or be perceived to affect how they are treated. This is mirrored in other Code of Conduct guidance that there is a provision not to accept gifts that could undermine healthcare professionals’ integrity, place them in a conflict-of-interest situation or the worst cases, is get them in legal trouble with alleged bribery and corruption
One must consider whether the gifts may fundamentally and potentially affect the healthcare professional’s relationship with the patient
Summary
Gift giving from patients to healthcare professionals usually well-intentioned and graciously embraced but it is still one of the grey topics that create ethical uncertainty in the healthcare context. This evolution may have created a slippery slope situation, making it difficult for the healthcare professional to reject gifts after previous acceptances. Even if the healthcare professional decides not to accept future gifts, finding a comfortable and effective way to do that may be challenging.
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