CHEST Guidelines-The-Humanities-in-Chest-Medicine-and--em-CHEST--em

The-Humanities-in-Chest-Medicine-and--em-CHEST--em

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The article by Fabien Maldonado in the journal CHEST explores the need for a holistic, patient-centered approach in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. Traditionally, medicine has been viewed through a scientific lens, focusing on evidence-based, measurable outcomes and often reducing the human body to a mechanistic entity. However, medicine is inherently interpersonal, involving ethical, philosophical, and sometimes religious considerations, which are crucial for addressing modern medical challenges.<br /><br />The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted ethical dilemmas, such as the allocation of life-sustaining resources. Though the four cardinal principles of medical ethics—beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and autonomy—are widely accepted, their application is often complex due to their philosophical and cultural nuances, which are not always understood.<br /><br />The new "Humanities in CHEST Medicine" section in the CHEST journal aims to tackle these issues by integrating insights from liberal arts disciplines like philosophy, ethics, history, and fine arts. This approach will provide fresh perspectives and foster a more compassionate and reflective practice among health-care providers. Contributions are encouraged from diverse professionals, including bioethicists, philosophers, and patient advocacy representatives, to discuss a wide range of topics from medical ethics to end-of-life care.<br /><br />The section promises to engage the CHEST readership by prioritizing discussions with immediate relevance for clinicians and health-care providers. Through such collaborations, the editorial board aims to cultivate a deeper understanding and improved practices in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. The initiative calls for thoughtful contributions to promote a well-rounded, humane approach in the medical field.

Keywords

holistic approach

patient-centered care

pulmonary medicine

critical care

sleep medicine

medical ethics

COVID-19 pandemic

Humanities in Medicine

bioethics

interdisciplinary insights