Contemporary ethical considerations in clinical otolaryngology

Abstract

Abstract The practice of otolaryngology has been significantly challenged by the constraints of the novel virus pandemic, but the specialty has continued to provide clinical care for patients in a manner consistent with ethical principles and moral leadership. Continued attention to maintaining the ethical foundations for appropriate informed consent, provision of remote health care through telemedicine, and strengthening the patient‐physician relationship while role modeling the highest level of professionalism will continue to be challenging for the specialty throughout and beyond the pandemic temporal boundaries. These contemporary elements of ethical clinical care, examined in the context of disruption of the traditional practice of otolaryngology, are foundational to the duties and responsibilities inherent to the profession of medicine. Level of Evidence 5

Keywords

• clinical otolaryngology
• ethics
• informed consent
• patient‐physician relationship
• professionalism
• SARS‐CoV‐2