Towards conjoint solidarity in healthcare

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Bioethics
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Solidarity is an under-explored concept in healthcare ethics, often perceived as conflicting with individual autonomy.
• Existing scholarship lacks a clear definition and practical application of solidarity within healthcare contexts.
• The ambiguity of solidarity hinders its potential to foster collective values and improve healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and define the concept of 'conjoint solidarity' in healthcare ethics.
• To explore the interdependence of medical autonomy, conjoint solidarity, and relational distributive justice.
• To propose a framework for improving healthcare outcomes through shared decision-making and collective responsibility.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of solidarity in healthcare ethics.
• Definition and elaboration of 'conjoint solidarity' as a shared duty among healthcare stakeholders.
• Application of an epistemic approach to facilitate information pooling between practitioners and patients.

Main Results:

• Conjoint solidarity is defined as the shared goal of all healthcare stakeholders to assist each other in achieving improved healthcare outcomes.
• Shared decision-making serves as the practical mechanism for implementing both medical autonomy and conjoint solidarity.
• A collective, epistemic approach can address issues like exclusion, paternalism, and conflicts of interest in healthcare.

Conclusions:

• Medical autonomy and conjoint solidarity are complementary, not opposing, concepts when viewed as freely chosen actions.
• The integration of conjoint solidarity, medical autonomy, and relational distributive justice can lead to significant improvements in healthcare.
• This relational approach empowers patients to actively participate in achieving better healthcare outcomes.