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When review boards and research organizations' quality improvement (QI) offices work together, the net effect is a more thorough and efficient human subjects research process, experts say.
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Consumer web sites such as LivingSocial, Groupon, Loclly, and Ebates are popping up in millions of e-mail inboxes across the United States offering everything from sushi dinners and massages to car washes and now, healthcare.
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Among the latest healthcare trends seeking to advance "individualized medicine" are private companies marketing genetic testing directly to patients.
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The Hastings Center is exploring the ethical challenges that clinicians and organizations face when providing medical care to undocumented immigrants in the United States. The project is supported by a grant from the Overbrook Foundation Domestic Human Rights Program.
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The case of a pair of "craniopagus" twins (conjoined at the head) illustrates the complex bioethical issues involved in deciding whether to attempt separation surgery, according to an article1 in a recent issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
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An implanted heart rhythm device may generate repeated painful shocks during a patient's final hours, at a time when the natural process of dying often affects the heart's rhythm. Yet, clinicians rarely discuss options for limiting these distressing events at the end of life (EOL), according to a new review of literature1, appearing in American Journal of Nursing.
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Palliative care was only recognized as a specialty five years ago by the American College of Graduate Medical Education. Because of its newness, those working in the specialty are still learning how to effectively collect data and make use of the information once they have collected it.
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Palliative care isn't just for hospice patients; it also is used to manage the symptoms of those with chronic or advanced illnesses. One hospital system in Michigan has brought palliative care into all aspects of hospital care for all patients.
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IRBs and research offices need a variety of procedures and tools to ensure compliance. One tool that sometimes is overlooked is requiring research sites to develop corrective action plans (CAPs) when they have problems.
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[Editor's note: In this issue of Same-Day Surgery, we put a special focus on compliance with regulated drugs. We've talked with some of the top pharmacy consultants in the country to find out foolproof systems for avoiding diversion and theft. These stories will help you decide where to focus your time and energy, while avoiding liability.]
