  In the readings for this week, Chapter 2b (Perry) discusses healthcare ethics committees. I found an interesting study in The American Journal of Bioethics about healthcare ethics committees. The study, A National Study of Ethics Committees, was one of the first studies done on healthcare ethics committees.
I encourage everyone to read the study; it was very interesting. I have provided a brief synopsis of the study. In 1999 the University of Pennsylvania Ethics Committee Research Group (ECRG) completed the first national survey of the presence, composition, and activities of U.S healthcare ethics committees. The study revealed some surprising facts about the management of ethical issues in hospitals in America. The research group randomly selected 1,000 U.S hospitals and sent the director of the ethics committee a detailed questionnaire. The goal of the study was to gain an overview of the structure and function on the healthcare ethics committees in the U.S. Of the 1,000 questionnaires sent, only 356 people responded. According to the study, 86% of ethics committees reported that they play a role in ongoing clinical decision making through clinical ethics consultation.
The study also revealed that although 4.5% of healthcare ethics committees write policy on managed care, 50% of committee chairs feel inadequately prepared to address managed care. Although the study had a low response and faced limitations, the results can provide a benchmark for current activity of healthcare ethics committees. McGee, G., Caplan, A., Spanpgle, J., Asch. D. (2001). The American Journal of Bioethics. A National Study of Ethics Committees. MIT Press, Volume 1, Number 4. 
