AMA Policies and Code of Medical Ethics' Opinions Related to Health Care for Patients Who Are Immigrants, Refugees, or Asylees
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Accessing health care resources in the United States often proves to be a difficult task for vulnerable populations.Immigrants, in particular, face barriers and difficulties in obtaining continuous medical care, which negatively impacts both patients and clinicians.The AMA Code of Medical Ethics offers guidance on how physicians and health care systems can best support undocumented and lawfully present immigrants alike to promote the best possible care for all who need it. Health-Related Challenges Facing Vulnerable Immigrant PopulationsUndocumented and lawfully present immigrants alike regularly find themselves in difficult financial and social situations that complicate access to the US health care system.These groups consist of an estimated 23 million persons, representing a large (7%) and largely underserved portion of the total US population. 1 The considerable social, institutional, and personal barriers to obtaining health care might exacerbate preexisting health conditions and rule out typical treatment plans, forcing immigrants without access to safety net clinics to seek care in already-strained emergency facilities. 2 Providing sanctuary doctoring, which focuses on meeting the medical and social needs of undocumented immigrants, 3 is supported by a number of American Medical Association (AMA) opinions and policies.These guidelines speak to the general concept of health care as well as the care of specific populations including refugees, asylees, victims of human trafficking, and other categories of both undocumented and documented immigrants.
Source: The AMA Journal of Ethic
Author: Rachel F. Harbut
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2907668697