tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263920188140464269.post5226336596781561662..comments2024-03-11T17:51:57.371-07:00Comments on Practical Bioethics: Physicians and Ethics Consults -- Why so Few?Practical Bioethicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17111101925898726995noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2263920188140464269.post-56113054334332598722010-04-22T21:34:51.141-07:002010-04-22T21:34:51.141-07:00I would say that the hospital ethics committee or ...I would say that the hospital ethics committee or clinical ethical consultant does not evaluate the "virtue" of a physician and has been repeatedly stated over the years, the ethics committee is not a hospital "police" committee. Differences in prognosis and approaches to therapy that will be described to the patient or surrogate is a medical matter to be decided by physicians themselves. They may have differences of opinion which eventually has to be resolved but the ethics committee or consultant does not make such medical decisions. The ethics committee's duty is, to establish whether an ethical issue exists and if so to provide the ethical and legal (as it applies to ethical issues) education to the stakeholders, mediate and by this facilitate the stakeholders arrival at a final decision. <br /><br />I think there is still confusion as to the role of hospital ethics committees by the medical staff. I have gotten requests from the nursing staff who read in the doctors orders "Discontinue endotracheal intubation if OK with ethics committee"..as though it is the ethics committee's responsibility for determining whether the patient could breath on his own or whether the tube should be removed so that a tracheostomy will be performed. Obvious ignorance regarding the role of the ethics committee. And obviously it is the committee's fault for the lack of staff education. ..Maurice.Maurice Bernstein, M.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07618638650784869923noreply@blogger.com