Ethics committees: time to experiment with standards

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Healthcare Policy
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Hospital ethics committees (HECs) are increasingly common, often mandated by organizations like the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
• Emerging legislation in some states proposes granting HECs greater authority, including substituting for judicial review and offering legal immunity.
• Despite their growing role, there's a recognized deficit in data regarding HEC effectiveness and member preparedness.

Discussion:

• The effectiveness of hospital ethics committees is largely unquantified.
• Committee members frequently lack the necessary education and skills for effective case consultation.
• Current legislative trends may outpace evidence-based understanding of HEC performance.

Key Insights:

• There is a significant lack of empirical data on the performance and impact of hospital ethics committees.
• Inadequate training and skills among committee members pose a challenge to effective consultation.
• The current trajectory of increasing HEC authority and legislative support lacks sufficient evidence.

Outlook:

• Further research is crucial to establish performance benchmarks and assess the true value of HECs.
• Developing and implementing quality standards for HEC membership and operations is necessary.
• A period of experimentation with these standards should precede any expansion of HEC authority.