How Much Volume Should Healthcare Ethics Consult Services Have?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Informatics

Background:

• Healthcare ethics consultation (HCEC) services lack standardized methods for volume assessment.
• Accurate estimation of HCEC service volume is crucial for resource allocation and service planning.
• Existing reporting methods can lead to inaccuracies in understanding HCEC service growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and propose a novel method for estimating the volume of healthcare ethics consultation services.
• To address the limitations of current practices in reporting HCEC service volume.
• To provide a more accurate approach for assessing the demand and growth of HCEC services.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic review of studies reporting HCEC service volume from 2000-2017.
• Utilized institutional surveys and statistical analyses to gather and process data.
• Adjusted volume estimates based on hospital size and patient population acuity.

Main Results:

• Contacted authors of 19 studies; 17 responded to surveys, five provided data.
• Identified inaccuracies in standard methods for estimating HCEC service volume growth.
• Proposed two new volume estimation methods based on service goals or hospital characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Statistical limitations underscore the need for standardized data sharing in clinical ethics.
• Recommends further standardization of HCEC quality assessment methods.
• The proposed methods offer a more accurate approach to estimating HCEC service volume.