Whistle-blowing process in healthcare: From suspicion to action.

BACKGROUND:: Whistle-blowing is an ethical activity that tries to end wrongdoing. Wrongdoing in healthcare varies from inappropriate behaviour to illegal action. Whistle-blowing can have negative consequences for the whistle-blower, often in the form of bullying or retribution. Despite the wrongdoing and negative tone of whistle-blowing, there is limited literature exploring them in healthcare. OBJECTIVE:: The aim was to describe possible wrongdoing in Finnish healthcare and to examine whistle-blowing processes described on the basis of the existing literature in healthcare as perceived by healthcare professionals. RESEARCH DESIGN:: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. The data were collected using the electronic questionnaire Whistle-blowing in Health Care and analysed statistically. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT:: A total of 397 Finnish healthcare professionals participated, 278 of whom had either suspected or observed wrongdoing in healthcare, which established the data for this article. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:: Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University (20/2015). Permission to conduct the study was received according to the organisation's policies. FINDINGS:: Wrongdoing occurs in healthcare, as 96% of the participants had suspected and 94% had observed wrongdoing. Regarding the frequency, wrongdoing was suspected (57%) and observed (52%) more than once a month. Organisation-related wrongdoing was the most common type of wrongdoing (suspected 70%, observed 66%). In total, two whistle-blowing processes were confirmed in healthcare: (1) from suspicion to consequences occurred to 27%, and (2) from observation to consequences occurred to 37% of the participants. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:: Wrongdoing occurs in healthcare quite frequently. Whistle-blowing processes were described based on the existing literature, but two separate processes were confirmed by the empirical data. More research is needed on wrongdoing and whistle-blowing on it in healthcare.

Informed Consent for Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator in New York State Designated Stroke Centers.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess informed consent procedures for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator in acute stroke among New York State (NYS) Department of Health (DOH) designated stroke centers. METHODS: A 13-question survey stratified by 0- to 3-hour and 3.0- to 4.5-hour treatment windows was used to determine the type of consent or if no consent was required. RESULTS: Of the 117 hospitals, 111 responded (95%). All 111 hospitals provided treatment within the 3-hour window, whereas 97 (87%) provided treatment beyond the 3-hour window (P < .001). For hospitals that did provide treatment, there was a difference between the percentages of hospitals requiring consent (verbal or written) within 3 hours (82%) and beyond 3 hours (92%) (P = .04). Of the hospitals requiring consent, there was a difference in the type of consent: 31 of 91 (34%) required written consent within the 3-hour window, whereas 57 of 89 (64%) required written consent beyond the 3-hour window (P < .001). Within both treatment windows, 98% accepted a health-care proxy or surrogate in lieu of the patient. Of the hospitals with less than 500 beds, 11 of 81 (14%) did not require consent within the 3-hour treatment window, compared to hospitals with 500 or more beds where 9 of 30 (30%) did not require consent within the 3-hour treatment window (P < .05). Beyond the 3-hour treatment window, hospitals with more than 500 beds required written consent-2-fold increase "compared to less than 3 hour window" (P < .05). Fifty-five percent of the hospitals were academic, whereas 45% were nonacademic. Academic status was not related to the type of consent in either window. CONCLUSIONS: Significant variability exists in the types of informed consent based on hospital bed size and treatment windows across NYS DOH designated stroke centers.

Gestión por procesos en medicina forense: Lean / Process management in forensic medicine: Lean

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Disparities in access to effective treatment for infertility in the United States: an Ethics Committee opinion.

In the United States, economic, racial, ethnic, geographic, and other disparities exist in access to fertility treatment and in treatment outcomes. This opinion examines the factors that contribute to these disparities and proposes actions to address them.

Abordaje psicocomunitario. Experiencia de tratamiento en el CSM de Aiala-Llodio / Psycho-community approach. Treatment experience at Aiala-Llodio Mental Health Centre

Introducción: Exponemos una descripción de los trastornos mentales no graves atendidos en una época de fuerte impacto de crisis económica y se comparan con épocas anteriores más benignas. Así mismo, se describe la actitud que hemos desarrollado hacia la patología no grave haciendo sobre todo hincapié en la intervención psicosocial. Material y Métodos: Pacientes nuevos atendidos en los cinco primeros meses del año 2012 y se discrimina a aquellos catalogados como trastorno mental no grave. En estos, valoramos la existencia de problemas psicosociales, laborales, económicos y del grupo primario de apoyo, asÍ como las actuaciones en el marco psicosocial que hemos llevado a cabo o a las que hemos derivado. Resultados: hasta en el 70% de los casos existen problemas psicosociales y entendemos que dichos factores pueden ser condicionantes importantes en los trastornos. Entendemos que el tener medidas claras de intervención psicosocial es fundamental más allá de un abordaje principalmente clínico. Conclusiones: Muchas veces se ha propugnado que el trastorno mental no grave debe ser atendido, casi exclusivamente por Atención Primaria. Desde nuestra experiencia entendemos que desde los Centros de Salud mental y con una buena coordinación tanto con servicios sociales, atención primaria y diversas asociaciones de intervención psicosocial, se puede desarrollar una labor fundamental (AU)

Introduction: We expose a description of the non-serious ment6al disorders treated in a time of strong impact of economic crisis and it´s compared with more benign earlier times. Likewise there is described the attitude that we have developed towards the non-severe pathology emphasizing specially in the psychosocial intervention. Material and methods: New patients attended in the first five months of 2012 were separated nonserious mental disorder. We valued psychosocial, employ, economic and the primary group support problems and the interventions in psychosocial area that we have done or those who we have sent Results: Up to 70% of cases psychosocial problems exists and we understand these factors can be very important in the disorders. Having clear measures of intervention psychosocial is basic beyond a principally clinical approaching. Conclusions: Often it has been said that nonsevere mental disorders must be attended almost exclusively al Primary health care. From our experience we understand Mental health centers and with a good coordination so much with Social services, Primary health care and different groups of psychosocial intervention a major support can be developed (AU)