Ethics
Aging and death | Law and policy | Managed care | Patient encounters | Professionalism | Religion and spirituality
Aging and death
.Ethical Dilemmas, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
A case study examines how a hospitalist handled confusing and conflicting demands placed by a do-not-resuscitate order.
April ’08
Organ donation: balancing patient duties and public health
Ethical considerations to weigh when broaching the issue of organ donation. (June 2006)
Issues to consider when ending life support
Hospital—or hospice—based caregivers must make tough decisions in order to ease the dying process for terminally ill patients (May 2001)
How to avoid conflicts with patients and families during end-of-life care
Begin discussions while patients are still healthy, and work patiently with families when the dying process begins (June 2000)
Dealing with older, impaired drivers
Balancing patient autonomy with public safety (April 2000)
Deciding how much care is too much
Ethics case study explores futility and appropriate treatment (March 1997)
Law and policy
.In-office research can trip up even the most ethical doctors (January 2008)
Why the nation's toughest elder abuse laws make some California physicians nervous
Problems include onerous reporting requirements and threats from malpractice attorneys (March 2003)
Ethics case study: Documenting sensitive information poses dilemma for physicians
As access to medical records increases, patients become fearful (December 1996)
Checking up on immigrants: a job for physicians?
California law can cause immigrants to avoid getting needed care (October 1996)
Managed Care
.Epiphanies and the human side of health care policy
The looming crisis in health care goes beyond affordable access to acute medical services. The real trouble ahead lies in caring for chronically ill patients. (January 2002)
Are health plan incentives hurting generalist-specialist relationships?
Some worry that HMOs force generalists to act as marginal specialists. (June 2001)
Is there an ethical doctor in the house?
Let's talk about everyday moral dilemmas in practice—not just dramatic headline-grabbing issues (October 1997)
Why for-profit managed care fails you and your patients
HMOs exacerbate the problems they claim to cure (November 1996)
To refer or not to refer?
When you and your patient disagree—an ethics case study (March 1995)
Patient encounters
.Ethical Dilemmas, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
Case study: Cultural differences complicate a terminal cancer diagnosis
March ’08
Examining the ethical dilemmas that occur in everyday practice, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
A Harvard expert moderates a new column on ethical case studies and suggests some practical strategies for handling and preventing conflicts
Case study: The ethics of end-of-life care erupt in the ICU
February '08
Examining the ethical dilemmas that occur in everyday practice, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
A Harvard expert moderates a new column on ethical case studies and suggests some practical strategies for handling and preventing conflicts
Case study: How should a physician react when an elderly patient refuses life-saving treatment contrary to the wishes of her family? (January 2008)
Getting the most out of community-based research
By paying attention to ethics and logistics, physicians can find intellectual and financial rewards in research. (April 2004)
Letters
Readers discuss HIPAA compliance problems, error disclosures. (January-February 2004)
Must you disclose mistakes made by other physicians?
Your colleague never recommended a follow-up X-ray, and now you have to tell the patient he has cancer. (November 2003)
Do you need to talk to patients about mistakes?
If a mistake had no lasting harm, will disclosing it help or hurt the physician-patient relationship? (March 2002)
How to practice within ethical boundaries
Dealing with gifts and sexual misconduct (June 2000)
Consumer ads: How should you handle the pressure?
Instead of educating patients in need, consumer ads create need (March 2000)
Is physician decision-making as ethical as we think?
A patient's accusation made this doctor re-examine whether he really takes the moral high ground (November 1999)
Professionalism
.Ethical Dilemmas, by Neil J. Farber, FACP
A physician's refusal to turn over the records of a patient with an outstanding bill may be seen as abandonment.
May '08
Ethical Dilemmas, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
Case study: Cultural differences complicate a terminal cancer diagnosis
March ’08
Examining the ethical dilemmas that occur in everyday practice, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
A Harvard expert moderates a new column on ethical case studies and suggests some practical strategies for handling and preventing conflicts
Case study: The ethics of end-of-life care erupt in the ICU
February '08
Examining the ethical dilemmas that occur in everyday practice, by Lachlan Forrow, FACP
A Harvard expert moderates a new column on ethical case studies and suggests some practical strategies for handling and preventing conflicts
Case study: How should a physician react when an elderly patient refuses life-saving treatment contrary to the wishes of her family? (January 2008)
From 'Marcus Welby' to 'ER': Is medicine losing professionalism?
The Keynote speaker at Annual Session argues that professionalism needs renewed attention. (June 2006)
No easy answers when managing financial conflicts
Physicians must navigate a barrage of conflicts in market-driven health care. (June 2005)
Letters
Readers discuss prisoner abuse, problem physicians, professional ethics. (September 2004)
Letters
Readers discuss medical mistakes. (October 2003)
Too close for comfort? How some physicians are re-examining their dealings with drug detailers
In the midst of greater attention on doctors' relationship with the drug industry, individual physicians' responses have been mixed. (July-August 2003)
What can physicians do to regain the public's trust?
Our only real means of repairing and preventing further damage to public trust is to renew our commitment to professionalism. (May 2003)
Doctors struggle to balance professionalism with the pressures of everyday practice
As practice pressures build, physicians are looking for ways to do right by patient care (April 2003)
When ethics collide in the practice parking lot
We are obligated to provide our patients with ethical advice, but is this responsibility restricted to medical matters? (February 2002)
Charter on medical professionalism addresses issues of finite resources Created by American and European internists, the charter looks at the larger responsibilities of the medical profession (July-August 2001)
Ethical issues in CME, clinical research
How pharmaceutical funding can affect education and for-profit clinical research. (May 2001)
When are industry-sponsored trials a good match for community doctors?
While it may be attractive to offer patients free medicine, physicians should consider other ramifications of joining an industry trial. (March 2001)
Religion and spirituality
.How to address spirituality issues at the end of life
To provide patients truly compassionate care, physicians need to look beyond the medical aspects of dying. (June 2003)
'The last taboo'
Making the case for bringing religion to patient care (July/August 1997)
How housestaff blend spirituality and science
Religion is largely ignored in medical training, but bringing the subject to the fore can benefit patients and residents (December 1995)
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