The internist as clinical ethics consultant: An antidote to "the barbarism of specialisation" in hospital practice

• Published in: Revista clínica espanõla (English edition) Vol. 218; no. 3; p. 142
• Main Authors: Real de Asúa, D, Rodriguez Del Pozo, P, Fins, J J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.04.2018
• Subjects: Ethics consultant; Healthcare ethics committees; Comités de ética asistencial; Ética clínica; Clinical ethics; Consultor de ética
• ISSN: 2254-8874; 2254-8874
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rce.2017.09.005

The development of hospital clinical ethics in Spain depends almost exclusively on the healthcare ethics committees, which have been criticized for a lack of proximity to the patient's bedside in day-to-day ethical conflicts and for their scarce practical operation, reflected in the low number of consultations they receive. In this study, we reflect on the need to change the current healthcare model in clinical ethics so as to reactivate it and call attention to the essential role of internists as the engine for this change. To this end, we propose a model in which the healthcare ethics committees incorporate ethics consultants, who are better positioned to discuss cases at the patient's bedside. We then analyse the characteristics that these consultants should have.