Medical Ethics Advisor – December 1, 2008
December 1, 2008
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The VA leads change toward IntegratedEthics approach
"Throughout our health care system, VA patients and staff face difficult and potentially life-altering decisions every day whether it be in clinics, in cubicles, or in council meetings. In the day-to-day business of health care, uncertainty or conflicts about values that is, ethical concerns inevitably arise." IntegratedEthics: Improving Ethics Quality in Health Care (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs monograph) -
Widespread interest in VA ethics program
The IntegratedEthics program developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its facilities, which comprise the largest health care system in the United States, has drawn interest and attention both domestically and internationally. -
73% of physicians discuss mistakes with colleagues
Even with the driven culture of modern medicine, one study published recently in the Journal of Medical Ethics found that 73% of 338 respondents said that they usually discuss their mistakes with their colleagues. -
AMA's Ethical Force program aims for measures
"Increasingly, physicians and managed care organizations are being held accountable for quality of care based on the processes and outcomes of medical care and patient satisfaction. Yet high-quality care delivery involves more than good technical quality and acceptable customer service it also means upholding high ethical standards." -
Maintain infrastructure in flu pandemic
In a new study, for which Nancy Kass, ScD, of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics is the lead author, she and others outline their vision of an ethical response to a severe influenza pandemic: Keep society functioning. -
End-of-life discussions with physicians have benefits
According to a recent study,1 terminally ill patients who had end-of-life discussions with physicians had earlier hospice enrollment (65.6% vs. 44.5%), compared to patients who did not have these discussions. Also, longer hospice stays were associated with better patient quality of life, while more aggressive medical care was associated with worse patient quality of life. -
AMA lauds action on mental health coverage
In early October, the American Medical Association in Chicago issued a statement by board member Jeremy Lazarus, MD, regarding Congressional action on mental health care coverage: -
Criminal charges unlikely for prescribing opioids
Criminal or administrative charges and sanctions for prescribing opioid analgesics are rare, according to a recent study.1 In addition, there appears to be little objective basis for concern that pain specialists have been "singled out" for prosecution or administrative sanctioning for such offenses, the study found. -
NHPCO awards grants to hospice providers
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in Alexandria, VA, has received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to launch a program improving access to quality hospice and palliative care to veterans, with a specific focus on reaching homeless veterans and those living in rural areas. -
Palliative care saves money, study says
A palliative care program can save hospitals an average of at least $279 per day, up to $374 per day, according to a study of eight hospitals by the Center to Advance Palliative Care and the National Palliative Care Research Center.