Browse Medical Ethics Articles by Topic

Hurricane research proposals surge

One unexpected result from Hurricane Katrina has been a sharp increase in proposals for social-behavioral studies, as social scientists seek to find out how Katrina survivors and evacuees have responded to the disaster.

Is sharing results a moral obligation?

Are investigators morally obligated to provide research participants with the chance to see the results from the studies in which they enroll and should IRBs require them to do so?

OHRP offers guidance on review of trial web sites

In late September, OHRP issued guidance concerning IRB review of clinical trial web sites. The guidance, which can be viewed at OHRPs web site, states that IRB review is required when information on a clinical trial web site includes more information than the study title, the purpose of the study, the protocol summary, basic eligibility criteria, study site locations, and how to get more information on the study.

Patient Safety Alert supplement

The Quality - Cost Connection: Measuring the value of patient education

Patients are being urged to assume more responsibility for the state and care of their health. Preventing illness and controlling its effects when it does occur requires optimum patient participation.

Patient Satisfaction Planner: Program improves care, hospital collaborations

A nationwide hospital program developed to support families visiting loved ones in the intensive care unit (ICU) has shown significant benefits for families, patients, and team members in the ICU, according to a new study.

Patient Satisfaction Planner: ACEP urges increase in surge capacity for flu

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is warning that the nations pandemic influenza plan does not address the lack of surge capacity and isolation capability in the nations hospital emergency departments.

Maryland ICUs collaborate to revamp care processes

How would you like to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia at your organizations intensive care unit (ICU) by 19%, and decrease bloodstream infections by 36%, in only eight months? Those are the impressive results achieved by hospitals participating in the Maryland Patient Safety Centers ICU Safety Culture Collaborative.

Study: Public’s interest in quality data is growing

According to a new study, a growing number of consumers are using online hospital performance web sites to make health care decisions. In addition, providers are using publicly reported measures to make quality improvement decisions.

Are staff reporting potential errors?

Your organization probably has a very small number of serious adverse outcomes, but in all likelihood, near-misses are very common, says Richard J. Croteau, MD, JCAHOs executive director of patient safety initiatives. We encourage organizations to include a broad range of events in their reporting systems broader than what we require, he says.