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Healthcare ethics committees and managed care
1Center for Bioethics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Engineering, Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics, Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. mcgee@mail.med.upenn.edu
The American Journal of Managed Care
|August 25, 2001
Summary
Healthcare ethics committees (HECs) address managed care issues when requested, with time spent varying by hospital size and committee composition. HECs must gain expertise in managed care to resolve emerging ethical dilemmas.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Healthcare Management
- Hospital Administration
Background:
- Healthcare ethics committees (HECs) are integral to medical decision-making in US hospitals.
- The extent to which HECs engage with managed care has not been previously studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- This pilot study aimed to evaluate the activities and perceptions of HECs concerning managed care.
- To understand the role of HECs in addressing managed care ethical issues.
Main Methods:
- A random sample of 45 hospitals in the Philadelphia area was surveyed in 1998.
- Surveys were administered to ethics committee representatives, with responses coded and analyzed.
Main Results:
- HECs dedicated 7.6% of their time to managed care issues, with significant variation based on institution size and committee composition.
- 18% of surveyed HECs formally discussed ethical concerns in managed care.
- Institutional concerns regarding insurance program changes were noted.
Conclusions:
- HECs actively arbitrate ethical conflicts within managed care when specifically requested.
- The increasing prevalence of managed care necessitates that HECs develop expertise in its principles and policies to effectively address future ethical dilemmas.