Professional Responsibility State Practice Exam

Which principle relates to minimizing harm while maximizing benefits in health care?

1. Maleficence

2. Autonomy

3. Beneficence

4. Fidelity

The correct answer is: Beneficence

The principle that relates to minimizing harm while maximizing benefits in health care is beneficence. This principle emphasizes the obligation of health care providers to act in the best interest of their patients, which involves providing care that benefits the patient and enhances their well-being. In practice, this means that health care professionals must weigh the potential benefits of a treatment against any possible risks or harm it might cause, striving to provide interventions that have the greatest positive impact on a patient’s health. Beneficence is fundamental in ensuring that medical decisions prioritize patient welfare, promote positive health outcomes, and, whenever possible, enhance the quality of life. It involves a proactive commitment to pursue the best possible effects of medical actions, reinforcing the idea that health care should not just aim to avoid harm, but actively seek to do good. Other principles, such as autonomy (which focuses on respecting a patient's right to make informed choices about their own health care) and fidelity (which centers on maintaining trust and honoring commitments), are critical in the broader discussion of ethical health care practices but do not specifically address the balancing of harm and benefits in the same way that beneficence does. Maleficence, on the other hand, refers to the obligation to avoid causing harm, which is the