Conflict Between Patients' Rights and Patients' Needs: An Organizational Systems Problem

Dr. Eth's introduction: This month's column presents a systems view of the controversy about patients' rights versus patients' needs. Professor Ziegenfuss believes that the recurring conflict between patient autonomy and clinician beneficence can be reconciled through organizational redesign. It is his contention that reorganizing systems to be consistent with patients' rights provides a means for mental health professionals to discharge their ethical responsibility while minimizing the risk of shortchanging either patients' rights or patient care. His analysis contrasts with previous ethics columns (July 1984 and February 1985) that address similar issues from entirely different perspectives.