The Performance of the Ethics Committees in Teaching Hospitals Affiliated With Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background:During the last three decades, ethics committees have been formed with a growing trend. These committees have a satisfactory and effective impact on the pattern of patient care and its performance. The medical ethics committee is considered one of the most active committees in hospitals, having the aim of providing necessary approaches for the optimal use of the findings in empirical science and diagnostic treatment and observance of Islamic noble values in performing medical affairs.Objectives:The aim of this study is to assess the performance of the ethics committees, in the teaching hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, in Mashhad.Patients and Methods:Subjects of this study include teaching hospitals in Mashhad, affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences and the tool used in gathering the data was a questionnaire, completed based on the information provided by the proceedings of the meetings held by the ethics committees. Also, for the purpose of gathering the suggestions, specifically on the improvement of the performance, a meeting was held with the representatives from hospitals' ethics committees. During the meeting, work reports were presented and recommendations made, based on those presentations. .Results:Findings of the present study suggest that all hospitals under study, have an ethics committee, of which 85.7% operate in combination with other committees. The composition of the members of the committees, in 57.1% of the hospitals, was based on the guidelines for hospital evaluation.Conclusions:For the performance of the medical ethics committees to improve, it is recommended that the hospital administration and evaluation section, hold regular meetings and oblige members to participate more actively.

An Exploration of the Role of Hospital Committees to Enhance Productivity

“…In a study done by Meraji et.al in hospitals of Mashhad universities, average of hospital committee bills was 4 -5 that is similar to our study ( Meraji et al, 2014 ). Our study shows that average of participants number in hospital committees in 2011 and 2012 is10 to 11 persons which coordinates the offered number of committee members in the most resources.…”

“…Regarding the importance of committees in planning and decision-making for current problems as well as preventing future problems, powerful and active committee members can improve committee efficiency (Rate of implemented bills improves). A study of Meraji et al in Mashhad showed that position of number of held sessions, rate of participants in sessions and distance among sessions were at medium but results in kind of bills and promotion of ethical values were at good level and also in the study of Meraji, presence of representative of university president in ethics committee was 28% that it shows importance of holding hospital committees sessions from view of related managers ( Meraji et al, 2014 ). Our study also shows that besides decreasing the number of hospital committees from 14 committees to 11 committees, the rate of hospital chief attendance in committees sessions in 2012 has been more than 2011 ( Table 1 ).…”

“…From 208 studied hospitals, 183 hospitals (88%) had ethical committee ( Csikai, 1998 ). Also in the study of Meraji et al in Mashhad city, 73% of research population hospitals had ethical committee ( Meraji et al, 2014 ). Also, our study showed that in 2011 only 75% of research population hospitals had ethical committee and in 2012, at 100% research population hospitals this committee sessions was held which shows ascending growth of ethical committee.…”

Evaluating assessment tools of the quality of clinical ethics consultations: a systematic scoping review from 1992 to 2019

“…An effective CEC consultant also showed interest in organizational ethics [7], educating and guiding others on ethical issues [80,91,92] and aligning expectations and practice with institutional and CEC standards [82,86]. Some studies evaluated all members of the CECons as a whole [22,33,97] and their ability to provide a broad review of ethico-legal and moral considerations [73,98].…”

Responding to Hospital Staff’s Paranormal Experiences Related to a Medical Assistance in Dying Room

“…The results of a study conducted in one of the major cities in Iran indicates that HECs are functioning as combined committees (85.7%) entitled ethics committee and religious principles. These committees are chaired by doctors (42.8%), hospital directors (2.5%), hospital managers (14.28%), and nurses (14.2%) in different educational hospitals (56). In this review, very few documents were found regarding other countries in the Middle East Region.…”