Plastic Surgery Poses Unique Ethical Considerations

Plastic surgery is a unique specialty in that there are so many procedures a surgeon might be asked to perform. This ranges from reconstructive surgery after cancer to cosmetic surgery to congenital abnormalities and also burn reconstruction. With that comes a whole host of ethical issues.

Neurology Groups Update Position on Stroke and Informed Consent

Experts provide updated ethical guidance on decision-making capacity, emergency treatment, and clinical research.

Gene Editing Is Popular, But Controversial, Research Area

Gene drive researchers aim to broadcast a consistent message, tell the truth from the beginning, and be transparent.

Medical Residents Know Little About Surrogate Decision-Making Laws

Ethicists can educate clinicians about how to identify appropriate decision-makers and the roles proxies and surrogates ought to play in patient care. Equally important is ensuring providers know where to go for help if such questions arise.

Informed Consent Challenges with High-Risk Surgery

There appears to be room for improvement when it comes to surgeons talking with patients about shared decision-making and providing specifics about quality of life after procedures.

Patients Can Request Ethics Consults, But Almost None Do

In a recently published paper, the authors reported if patients are empowered to ask for ethics consults, it can mean more patient-centered care, better shared decision-making, and a stronger patient/physician relationship.

Looking Back, COVID-19 Vaccination Woes Were Predictable

Efficacy, protection duration, side effects, and FDA approval factored into decisions about choosing a COVID-19 vaccine.

Patients’ Involvement in Decision-Making Linked to Lower Malpractice Risks

When there is more than one reasonable treatment option, discussing the options with the patient and documenting the discussion may mitigate malpractice risk, especially in the event of a bad outcome.

Medical Providers’ Views Vary on Refusals of Life-Sustaining Treatment

Ethicists can help determine how best to proceed with treatment decision-making in cases in which patients lack decisional capacity. They can explain why the tie between treatment decision-making and capacity is morally important and essential for sound ethical medical practice.

Liability Exposure for Vendor ‘Extremely Difficult’ if AI Tool Used in ED

Multiple recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of artificial intelligence tools in the ED, particularly for radiology and clinical decision-making. However, numerous issues need to be considered.

Articles Tagged With: decision-making