...because hospitals have to debate and discuss what is the "right thing" to do in situations such as these.
We invite you to join us for Bioethics Grand Rounds, co-sponsored by the
Department of Bioethics & Humanities and the Ethics Advisory Committee of
the University of Washington Medical Center.
Should hospitals disclose adverse events that might harm multiple patients?
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
4 - 5 p.m.
Turner Auditorium, HSB D209
Reception to follow
Our topic is presented by Denise M. Dudzinski, PhD MTS, Associate Professor,
Bioethics & Humanities; Chief, Ethics Consultation Service, UWMC, Thomas
Gallagher, MD, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine & Bioethics &
Humanities, and Mary Beth Foglia, PhD RN, Health Care Ethicist, National
Center for Ethics in Health Care, Veterans Administration & Affiliate
Faculty, Bioethics & Humanities.
When a breakdown in the disinfection of endoscopes poses minimal increased
risk of infection, should hundreds or thousands of patients be notified? In
a recent NEJM article, we discuss the ethical rationale for disclosure and
non-disclosure. We describe and differentiate three large scale adverse
events: 1) errors in hormone-receptor testing; 2) insufficient disinfection
of endoscopes; and 3) surgical exposure to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare
prion disease. We describe a VA policy endorsing disclosure and provide
recommendations for hospitals facing this dilemma.