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to treat all the referrals of hand problems, we would answer the fol- 7
lowing:
If his claim is based on the fact that by receiving all the patients he
would have to work more hours, then he is right, and he should get
paid more than the other physicians.
However, if his goal is that patients who are not treated by him in DIVISION OF THE WORK
the hospital come to his private clinic and pay him a high fee, then his BETWEEN PHYSICIANS IN
claim is not valid. The hospital hired him to do what he knows how 90 THE HOSPITAL
to do, and he sold his knowledge and expertise to the hospital. As the
Rambam (Hilchos Sechirus 13:7) says, a worker is obligated to work
with all his strength for his employer. He should not worry that he
will lose out. Yaakov Avinu worked with all his might for Lavan, and
ultimately became very rich as a result. If this physician does his work 1 Questions Division of WoRk in Hospital
faithfully, for the sake of Heaven, he too, will be blessed with success I wish to ask a number of questions that are relevant on a daily basis
and become rich. But if, Heaven forbid, he does not do his work faith- in the hospital.
fully, he will ultimately stumble. Hashem, who gave him his wisdom, I will begin by defining several concepts: 1) A medical intern is at
will take it away from him, and he will be publicly shamed. the beginning stage of his medical studies with practically no medical
If he is being forced to work additional hours without compensa- experience. 2) A veteran resident is a physician who is in between a
tion, he has the right to refuse, and to refer the patients to his private resident and a specialist.
clinic.
1 Question 1
1 AnsweR to Question 3
In the hospital where I work, admission to the hospital through the
Is the physician obligated to notify the family that the treatment in emergency room is as follows: The first patient who is admitted to
another place is better? an internal unit goes to unit A, the second goes to unit B, and so on,
It seems to me that it is a mitzvah for the physician to hint to the going back to unit A at the end of the list, except for repeat patients,
family members that in Hospital B, the treatment for this illness is (who had been hospitalized during the last three months) who return
better. He thereby fulfills the mitzvah of “You shall love your friend as to their previous unit. The situation that I portray is very common: A
yourself,” for the physician, regarding himself, would also appreciate seriously ill or disabled patient presents to the physician in the emer-
good advice. If he is liable to lose his job as a result, he is not obligated gency room, who quickly decides that the patient must be admitted.
to do so. Since the treatment is good in Hospital A as well, this is not The unit (A) in turn is being staffed by an intern during the night
a violation of “Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellowman,” as shift, while the following unit (B) is staffed by a veteran resident. The
we wrote in response to question 1. emergency-room doctor asks the veteran resident in unit B to admit
One can ask: What is the halacha if there is no concern that he will the patient, although he is not required to do so, since the patient is
be fired from his job, but it is likely that his superiors will be angry at seriously ill and requires a number of medical decisions that call for
198 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Division of Work in Hospital 2 191
