Professional vs Personal in Decision Making:Twist on Quiz #2

Before you read any further, if you haven’t already been there, go to Ethics Quiz #2 and read the scenario and the Comments. Then come back here.

On this posting I am going to present another made-up but realistic scenario in which there is a conflict between the physician’s professional duties and his personal responsibilities.

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Mrs. J. came to Dr. W. office at 4pm with a cough and fever of 1 days duration. She had not eaten nor drunk fluids well for the previous week because of some abdominal pain. Dr. W. took her history, examined her, got a blood count and chest X-ray. It was now 4:45pm. He made a diagnosis of right middle lobe pneumonia and dehydration. The cause of her abdominal pain was uncertain. He felt she should go now to enter the hospital but that would mean he would miss his son’s football game that started at 5:30pm. He had promised for several weeks now to attend. Dr. W. decided to arrange hospital admission for Mrs. J. for the morning and send her home on oral antibiotic.
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How is this scenario in the personal vs professional aspects of decision making different than the previous one? And was Dr. W.’s decision ethical and professional? If not, what should have been better alternatives? ..Maurice.