Evaluating a clinical ethics committee (CEC) implementation process in an oncological research hospital: protocol for...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Bioethics
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Clinical Ethics Committees (CECs) support healthcare professionals with ethical dilemmas.
• Implementing CECs in hospitals presents significant challenges.
• The EvaCEC study assesses a CEC's implementation in an Italian cancer center.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation process of a Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC).
• To assess the integration of a CEC into clinical practice using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT).
• To identify needs and expectations for future CEC development.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-method study combining retrospective quantitative analysis and prospective qualitative evaluation.
• Quantitative data from CEC databases and surveys on knowledge, use, and perception.
• Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and online surveys guided by NPT.

Main Results:

• Data collection includes quantitative measures of CEC activities and qualitative assessments of acceptability and integration.
• Triangulation of data from multiple sources will provide a comprehensive evaluation.
• Analysis will determine the extent to which the CEC is successfully integrated into the clinical setting.

Conclusions:

• The study aims to provide insights into the successful implementation and integration of CECs.
• Findings will inform best practices for establishing and developing CEC services in healthcare organizations.
• Dissemination through publications and conferences will share knowledge on effective clinical ethics support.