Appropriate ethics review is required

Health leaders manage many types of risk. One type of risk that may be underrecognized is the ethical risk in the many projects and activities that are done regularly besides research (eg, program evaluation, quality improvement, and health innovation). Applying clinical, personal, professional, and organizational ethics can help address the risks but are insufficient by themselves or in combination. Each different type of project or activity requires an ethics review that is appropriate for that activity. Health leaders must first acknowledge that ethical risks exist in many of the activities occurring in their organization and then support the different types of ethics review required to adequately protect and respect people and their information.