Articles Tagged With:
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Ethicists Can Counter Clinicians’ Perceptions of Consults as Unhelpful
Ethicists work hard to make sure that all stakeholders in complex cases are heard. Yet, when the consultation is completed, ethicists usually do not know how the clinical team feels about the process.
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Emerging Ethical Dilemmas with Deep Brain Stimulation
For decades, deep brain stimulation devices have been used to treat neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. However, there are some ongoing — and emerging — ethical concerns with this technology.
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Bioethicists Are Obtaining Additional Training to Benefit Their Institutions — and Careers
As the clinical ethics field continues to professionalize, some ethicists are seeking to differentiate themselves or advance their careers by obtaining additional education.
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Researchers Have Unique Ethical Obligations in Early Phase Oncology Trials
Early phase oncology clinical trials demand a lot from participants but offer uncertain benefits in return.
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Should Hospitals Be Required to Continue Treatment When the Family Rejects Brain Death?
Even after families are told brain death is permanent and the patient is without hope for recovery, some distrust this information.
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HIPAA Resuming Audits; Know What to Expect
The Office of Civil Rights recently resumed audits for HIPAA compliance, meaning some covered entities will be visited for a thorough check that could have serious ramifications. Knowing what to expect can reduce the risk and stress.
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Manage Third-Party Vendor Relationships Carefully
Third-party vendors pose a significant risk to a healthcare organization’s HIPAA compliance program, but those risks can be mitigated by diligently following best practices.
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Court Holds That Failure to Order Tests May Shift Burden of Proof to Defense
On Feb. 28, 2025, a California appellate court ordered the trial court below to vacate its ruling denying a plaintiff’s request for a special jury instruction. The trial court had denied the plaintiff’s request for a jury instruction shifting the burden of proof on causation to the defendant in the plaintiff’s medical malpractice action because of the absence of evidence that the plaintiff would otherwise need to prove the case. However, the appellate court felt that was unfair to the plaintiff and disapproved.
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Florida Jury Awards $45 Million After Healthcare System Found Reckless
In July 2020, a 55-year-old experienced a severe heart attack requiring immediate intervention. Rather than directing emergency responders to a nearby hospital equipped to treat the condition, a healthcare system admitted the patient to one of its smaller hospitals and delayed care by transferring him to a larger, in-network facility farther away. The transfer was marred by 90 minutes of delay. When the patient finally arrived, efforts to stabilize him failed, and he died shortly after. The patient’s family alleged that the healthcare system’s internal policies placed business interests ahead of the patient’s survival, a claim that clearly resonated with the jury. Although the defendant invoked Florida’s Good Samaritan Act to argue for immunity under the “reckless disregard” standard, the jury found that the delays constituted reckless conduct.
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EHR Faults Affect Some Specialties More
A survey of rehab therapy leaders from private practices, hospitals, and contract therapy organizations indicates that the known deficiencies in electronic health records may affect some specialties more than others.