Bioethics Institute, Loyola Marymount University, CA, USA
Review Article
Bioethics Committees: Comparison of Small Community Hospitals and Large
Regional Medical Centers
Author(s): Richard Boudreau*
Though most large regional medical centers and many small community hospitals have bioethics committees, distinct
differences between these two types of facilities can impact the purpose and function of these committees. A surge in
the creation of these committees since the 1990s has led to studies of the different approaches used by these
committees, the different compositions, and the roles that hospital ethics committees (HECs) play in defining
standards for end-of-life care. A comparison of small and large facility HECs provides some insight into the challenges
in applying ethical standards in the healthcare field. .. View more»