Ethical issues in inpatient consultative dermatology

Ethical issues commonly arise in inpatient dermatology consultations. We describe the case of an inpatient suffering from a severe, undiagnosable skin condition that raises key principles of medical ethics. The four principles include autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice. Ethical situations faced by inpatient dermatologists are similar to those experienced by medicine hospitalists, as compared with outpatient dermatologists, given the unique clinical setting in which inpatient dermatology is practiced. Other inpatient services, colleagues, and ethics committees are useful resources for inpatient dermatologists faced with difficult ethical situations.