Professionalism & Ethics on Being a Health Care Aid

HCA’s Clinical Ethics Manual
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INTRODUCTION
Executive Summary

SECTION 1
Reasons for Developing an Ethics Committee
History of Ethics Committees
Common Threads of Clinical Ethics Committees
Joint Commission Standards

SECTION 2
Committee Structure
Defining Goals and Functions
Organizational Placement
Discoverability
Membership Requirements and Selection
Character of the Committee
Committee Membership
Representatives
Lawyers
Lay Members
HIPAA and Confidentiality

Functions of Ethics Committees
Educating the Committee
Educating the Hospital Community
Educating the Lay Community
Writing Policies and Guidelines
Elements of Developing Policy
Case Consultation
The Role of Case Reviewer
Who Brings Optional Case Reviews to the Committee?
Forms of Consultation/Case Consult
Committee Procedures • Record Keeping • Subcommittees • Committee Evaluation

Problems and Pitfalls for Ethics Committees • Lack of Clarity in Committee Purpose • Predominance of the Case Review Function • Insufficient Member Education • Enthusiasm and Frustration • Hierarchy and Domination • Inadequate Resources • Committee Overlap • Evaluation Failures • Committee Liability

SECTION 3 • Clinical Ethics Resource Links • General Bioethics Links • Academic Centers & Program Links • Law Links • State/Regional Bioethics Networks
Executive Summary
Clinical ethics committees in each hospital are an essential part of the HCA Ethics and Compliance Program. The following document provides a concise, functional guidebook for the operation of an effective hospital clinical ethics committee.

There are strong reasons for the establishment of clinical ethics committees: (1) An obligation to patients and the protection of patient rights; (2) An increasing number or guidelines from external quality agencies including the