← All questionsGS4 · 2024 · Case Studies — Applied Ethics ·Sneha, Procurement and Her Brother (Case)
QUESTION 10
GS4
20 marks

Sneha is a Senior Manager working for a big reputed hospital chain in a mid-sized city. She has been made in-charge of the new super speciality centre that the hospital is building with state-of-the art equipment and world class medical facilities. The building has been reconstructed and she is starting the process of procurement for various equipment and machines. As the head of the committee responsible for procurement, she has invited bids from all the interested reputed vendors dealing in medical equipment. She notices that her brother, who is a well-known supplier in this domain, has also sent his expression of interest. Since the hospital is privately owned, it is not mandatory for her to select only the lower bidder Also, she is aware that her brother’s company has been facing some financial difficulties and a big supply order will help him recover. At the same time, allocating the contract to her brother might bring charges of favouritism against her and tarnish her image. The hospital management trusts her fully and would support any decision of hers.(a) What should be Sneha’s course of action?(b) How would she justify what she chooses to do?(c) In this case, how is medical ethics compromised with vested personal interest?

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14 min
250 words

What the examiner wants

Sneha heads procurement at a private hospital and her brother is a bidder. Decide her course of action, how she justifies it, and how vested interest harms medical ethics.

Case studyName the stakeholders and the issues, weigh the options, and say what you would do and why.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1(a) Course: disclose the conflict to management, recuse from evaluating her brother's bid, let a committee decide on quality and price≈65 words
  2. 2(b) Justification: fairness, trust of management and patients, protects her reputation and her brother's if he wins on merit≈65 words
  3. 3(c) Medical ethics: patient safety depends on equipment quality; favouritism raises costs and risks lives; it breaks beneficence and justice≈65 words

Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.

Answer plan

Conflict of interest(a) action(b) justification(c) link to medical ethicsConclusion

Where marks usually go

  • Saying she can pick her brother because the hospital is private
  • Not linking procurement to patients' interests

Draw this

  • Steps: disclose → recuse → transparent evaluation → record

Value addition

  • PrincipleBeauchamp and Childress's principles of medical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice.Principles of Biomedical Ethics
  • LawCompanies Act, 2013 Section 188 requires approval and disclosure for related-party transactions.Companies Act, 2013

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