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The primary ethical consideration when approaching families for organ donation is to ensure that the donation authorization process is voluntary and that it respects the wishes of those who want to donate.
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All practitioners should anticipate and plan for incidental findings so that patients, research participants, and consumers are informed ahead of time about what to expect, and so that incidental findings are aptly communicated if they are found, according to a report from the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.
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Electronic health records (EHRs) often do not contain advance directives, documentation of the advance care planning process, or other information that can help guide decision-making at the end of life.
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Palliative care clinicians have been challenged to find measures of quality that are applicable to all patients in a variety of settings.
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Patients will soon be able to access information about their physicians financial relationships, as a result of The Physician Payment Sunshine Act. It is unclear how this information will affect the patient-physician relationship.
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While most Dutch respondents to a 2011 survey indicated that they initiated open discussions about sedation proactively, American respondents reported fewer such discussions, with most occurring late in the dying process.
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Disclosure after medical errors is still not done consistently, partly due to clinicians continued concerns regarding liability exposure.
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There is no evidence that a policy empowering physicians not to offer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is disproportionately applied to vulnerable populations, according to a recent study.
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Ethical concerns involving prevention and treatment of Ebola mirror those surrounding other public health threats in developing countries.
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Poor communication between providers and the patient or family is the underlying reason for many ethics consults involving conflicts over end-of-life care.