ETHICS DECISION-MAKING IN AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALS

Citation
Pm. Mcneill et al., ETHICS DECISION-MAKING IN AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALS, Medical journal of Australia, 161(8), 1994, pp. 487-488
Citations number
7
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
ISSN journal
0025729X
Volume
161
Issue
8
Year of publication
1994
Pages
487 - 488
Database
ISI
SICI code
0025-729X(1994)161:8<487:EDIAH>2.0.ZU;2-X
Abstract
Objective: To describe the methods used to resolve ethical issues in h ospitals throughout Australia. Design: A descriptive study from data c ollected by a questionnaire survey of Australian public and private ho spitals. Participants: Hospital administrators and employees nominated by hospital administrators. Results: Completed questionnaires mere re ceived from 739 (74%) hospitals. Methods used to resolve ethical issue s included personal reflection, discussion between health professional s and discussion between health professionals and patients. A variety of committees were identified as having some role in the discussion of ethical issues, but only a small number of hospitals had established ethics committees. Conclusion: Doctor-patient interaction and discussi on between practitioners are the most common methods used to resolve e thical issues. Various committees are also used and, of these, ethics committees are not the most commonly consulted.