Radiation Therapy
1. What concepts in the chapter are illustrated in this case? What ethical issues are raised by radiation technology?
Basic concepts that are covered in this case are responsibility, accountability and liability. Ethical issues that are raised by radiation technology is when scientist is finding ways to use radiation therapy to destroy cancerous cells while making sure that healthy cells are not being harmed. An incident occurred where Mr. Jerome-Parks “experienced deafness and near-blindness, ulcers in his mouth and throat, persistent nausea, and severe pain.” (Laudon, 2012, p.131). Organizations did not take the time to properly train doctors and medical technicians therefore incidents like Jerome-Parks happens. The machines that are used to ‘cure’ patients are not being appropriately updated and watch carefully. In this case study we can see that the technicians are not being fully responsible and being careless, and doctors that are not getting the full training for operating the machine.
2. What management, organization and technology factors that was responsible for the problems detailed in this case?
The management, organization and technology factors were responsible for the problems detailed in this case because they failed to provide extensive training for doctors, technicians, and machine operations as well as insufficient staffs. They should have thought of creating a mandatory checklist for employees each time the machine was being used. The lack of knowledge on the machines, the lack of reporting these incidents for future references instead the doctors and technicians do not troubleshoot the problem unless it is serious and by that time the patient(s) is already injured. The machines were not well designed, there was software glitch and “the complexity of new Linear accelerator technology has not been accompanied by with appropriate updates in software” (Laudon, 2012, p.132).
3. Do you feel that any of the groups involved with this
Basic concepts that are covered in this case are responsibility, accountability and liability. Ethical issues that are raised by radiation technology is when scientist is finding ways to use radiation therapy to destroy cancerous cells while making sure that healthy cells are not being harmed. An incident occurred where Mr. Jerome-Parks “experienced deafness and near-blindness, ulcers in his mouth and throat, persistent nausea, and severe pain.” (Laudon, 2012, p.131). Organizations did not take the time to properly train doctors and medical technicians therefore incidents like Jerome-Parks happens. The machines that are used to ‘cure’ patients are not being appropriately updated and watch carefully. In this case study we can see that the technicians are not being fully responsible and being careless, and doctors that are not getting the full training for operating the machine.
2. What management, organization and technology factors that was responsible for the problems detailed in this case?
The management, organization and technology factors were responsible for the problems detailed in this case because they failed to provide extensive training for doctors, technicians, and machine operations as well as insufficient staffs. They should have thought of creating a mandatory checklist for employees each time the machine was being used. The lack of knowledge on the machines, the lack of reporting these incidents for future references instead the doctors and technicians do not troubleshoot the problem unless it is serious and by that time the patient(s) is already injured. The machines were not well designed, there was software glitch and “the complexity of new Linear accelerator technology has not been accompanied by with appropriate updates in software” (Laudon, 2012, p.132).
3. Do you feel that any of the groups involved with this
Cited: Laudon, Kenneth and Laudon, Jane. (2012). Management Information Systems: Managing the digital film (5th ed.). Pearson Education Canada.