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J Med Ethics 2004;30:136-140 doi:10.1136/jme.2003.007161
  • Symposium on evidence based medicine

Ethics, EBM, and hospital management

  1. N Biller-Andorno2,
  2. C Lenk2,
  3. J Leititis1
  1. 1Board of Directors, University Hospital, Goettingen, Germany
  2. 2Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
  1. Correspondence to:
 N Biller-Andorno
 Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Germany; nbillergwdg.de
  • Received 13 November 2003
  • Accepted 27 November 2003

Abstract

Matters of hospital management do not figure prominently on the medical ethics agenda. However, management decisions that have to be taken in the area of hospital care are in fact riddled with ethical questions and do have significant impact on patients, staff members, and the community being served. In this decision making process evidence based medicine (EBM) plays an increasingly important role as a tool for rationalising as well as rationing health care resources. In this article, ethical issues of hospital management and the role of EBM will be explored, with particular reference to disease management programs, diagnosis related groups, and clinical pathways as recent developments in the German health care system.

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