Which principle requires that hospitals relieve patient suffering?

Beneficence is the principle that mandates hospitals and healthcare providers to act in the best interest of patients by promoting their well-being and alleviating suffering. This principle underscores the ethical obligation of healthcare professionals to provide care that benefits patients, thereby enhancing their overall quality of life.

In the context of healthcare, beneficence involves taking proactive steps to treat diseases, provide pain relief, and support patients in a way that improves their health outcomes and emotional well-being. The expectation is that healthcare providers not only avoid harm but also actively seek to contribute positively to a patient’s circumstances.

While the other principles play significant roles in healthcare ethics—autonomy emphasizes respecting the patient's right to make their own healthcare decisions, justice focuses on fairness and equitable distribution of resources, and confidentiality protects patient privacy—they do not specifically address the obligation to relieve suffering as clearly as beneficence does.