Choices that have to be made by a doctor

The Author analyses the technical and ethical choices the doctor who works in the Intensive Care Unit continually has to make when treating patients. Generally the doctor does not accept the concept that the available economic resources are not infinite, in that he sees himself as the patient's advocate. The ethical problem of whether or not to treat a given patient arises before the technical problem. Making a choice, it is necessary to know what benefits will derive from a given treatment in a certain ward and how successful a given operation will be. The doctor must evaluate the management costs but must also be the custodian of community funds.