Bioethics Committees: Comparison of Small Community Hospitals and LargeRegional Medical Centers

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.