How is compensatory justice defined in a healthcare setting?

Compensatory justice in a healthcare setting refers to the principle that individuals who have been wronged or harmed due to negligence, malpractice, or any adverse event have the right to seek compensation for their losses. This concept acknowledges that when someone suffers harm, whether physically, emotionally, or financially, there is a moral and ethical obligation to rectify that harm through appropriate reparations or compensation.

In the context of healthcare, this could involve patients seeking financial compensation for medical errors, missed diagnoses, or inappropriate treatments that led to further complications. The focus is on addressing the injustice experienced by the individual through mechanisms that provide restitution, restoration, or support to help them recover from the impact of the wrong they suffered.

The other options present different concepts that are not directly related to compensatory justice. Equal treatment pertains to distributive justice, which focuses on fairness in the allocation of healthcare resources. Transparency in healthcare costs is a matter of accountability and consumer rights, while preventive health measures relate to public health initiatives designed to prevent illness rather than compensating for past harm. Each of these aspects plays a vital role in healthcare but does not specifically define compensatory justice.