Medical Ethics Advisor – June 1, 2016

June 1, 2016

• Experts: Create Hospital Policies on Ethics of Deactivating ICDs

  Addressing implantable cardiac devices in hospital policies on withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions can support clinicians and prevent arbitrary decision-making.

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• 'Big Data' in Healthcare has Some Ethicists Concerned

  “Big data” is becoming increasingly important in healthcare, with the Precision Medicine Initiative and numerous other quality initiatives seeking de-identified information to improve care.

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• Ethical Debate Continues on Resident Work Hour Limits

  Efforts to limit work hours of residents spurred ongoing debate over whether patients are, in fact, safer as a result.

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• Providers’ Bias Against Obese Patients Affects the Care Patients Receive

  A growing body of research reveals that clinicians are frequently biased against obese patients — and that patients are harmed as a result.

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• Do Physicians Get Incentives for Patients’ Donations?

  Some institutions encourage physicians to solicit donations from grateful patients. A small minority of physicians report being offered financial incentives for doing so.

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