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The GUIDE (Genomic Uses in Infectious Disease & Epidemics) project is examining ethical, legal, social, and policy issues involving the application of genomics to prevention and treatment of infectious disease.
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Only 26% of 7946 adults surveyed had an advance directive, according to a recent study. Lack of awareness was the most frequently reported reason for not having an advance directive. Most participants reported concerns about end-of-life care.
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Feedback on clinical ethics consultations from patients, family, colleagues, and the ethics committee can improve the clinical ethics service and identify systemic problems.
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While hospice use steadily increased and deaths in the hospital declined, intensive care unit care in the last month of life increased, according to two recent studies.
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There is a need for bioethicists to educate patients and providers at extended care homes on end-of-life issues.
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Regularly scheduled peer review, surveys of stakeholders, and demonstration of continuous improvement of policies are some approaches to improve ethics consults.
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Some bioethicists are expanding their role beyond case consultation into organizational ethics, but may encounter barriers such as lack of support from leadership.
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More data are being collected at the point of care with the goal of improving quality, but there is widespread uncertainty as to what kind of oversight quality improvement research requires.
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More than half of rheumatologists who responded to a 2013 survey reported the high cost of treatment for their patients as an ethical concern.
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