Bioethics committees--a health communication approach

The modern health care system is being transformed as a consequence of scarce resources and better informed consumers. In this transformed health care system human communication has become a crucially important process. This essay examines the health communication functions performed by bioethics committees in health care delivery and makes recommendations for promoting the effective use of these groups within the modern health care system. The essay describes how bioethics committee can help establish a climate in which physicians and other committee members can share relevant health information, learn about patient and family concerns, promote health education and informed consent, and facilitate effective decision making about complex health care practice issues. It is argued that clear recognition and attention to the central role of effective communication within the bioethics committee is essential for the survival of the modern health care system since ethics committees depend on sharing relevant information to diagnose health problems, provide health care, promote health education, help in the formulation of new health care policies, and provide much-needed decision-making support to health care providers and consumers. The role that health communication expertise can perform in the effective operation and utilization of bioethics committees is described. We conclude that in order to provide needed support in addressing the many complexities of modern health care, bioethics committees must develop clear communication processes, norms, and roles.