Emerging Roles of Clinical Ethicists

Electroconvulsive Therapy in Canada During the First Wave of COVID-19

“…15 With the goal of facilitating ethical decision-making and improving patient care, hospital-based centers for clinical ethics typically provide services to patients, families, and hospital staff members on a variety of issues, including treatment decisions, resource allocation, hospital restructuring, and institutional ethics. 33 In Canada, however, input from clinical ethicists is obtained in an ad hoc manner based on local institutional standards and available hospital resources. Although these could present a significant barrier to clinical ethics consults, a lack thereof might place patients with psychiatric conditions at a greater risk of losing access to life-saving treatment and being subjected to health care inequities.…”

“…Providers generally reported a high level of collaboration among psychiatry, anesthesia, and hospital leadership in the decision-making process, but with a limited input from clinical ethicists 15 . With the goal of facilitating ethical decision-making and improving patient care, hospital-based centers for clinical ethics typically provide services to patients, families, and hospital staff members on a variety of issues, including treatment decisions, resource allocation, hospital restructuring, and institutional ethics 33 . In Canada, however, input from clinical ethicists is obtained in an ad hoc manner based on local institutional standards and available hospital resources.…”

Evaluation of Health Equity in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans in the United States

“…Additionally, ethicists can identify priority populations during the national allocation of limited COVID-19 vaccines; however, health equity committees were not likely to include an ethicist. 5 A limitation of this study is that 41 vaccination plans were not finalized at the time of review and may have been modified after initial distribution phases were completed. Future studies should evaluate whether current protocols may lead to inequities in vaccine distribution during subsequent phases and how inequities will be addressed in future vaccination plan updates.…”

“…However, these partnerships also lacked racial/ethnic minority representation, with only 51% of states collaborating with organizations serving minority populations. Additionally, ethicists can identify priority populations during the national allocation of limited COVID-19 vaccines; however, health equity committees were not likely to include an ethicist . A limitation of this study is that 41 vaccination plans were not finalized at the time of review and may have been modified after initial distribution phases were completed.…”