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Health Care Ethics USA
Our readers know that the Center for Health Care Ethics has partnerships with Ascension Health and with Catholic Health Initiatives to distribute this journal throughout their health systems. So it seems only proper to take this opportunity to offer tribute to Don Brennan who retired as CEO of Ascension Health at the end of the Fall semester. We can all be grateful for the outstanding leadership that Don has shown during his years at the helm of the Daughters of Charity National Health System (DCNHS) and then at Ascension Health. On a daily basis we encounter the blustery sea of change in health care as the squalls of market forces and government regulations continue to pummel the sturdy but vulnerable vessel of our Catholic ministry. During such times of turbulence and uncertainty we need leaders with strong vision and deep conviction who know when to trim the sails and how to navigate the shoals. We have been blessed with such a leader as Don Brennan. He astutely recognized the opportunity to consolidate DCNHS by integrating the various regions into a more robust health system - a system that within a few years would be able to expand into an even more vibrant ministry by co-sponsoring Ascension Health with the Sisters of St. Joseph Health System. These have been transformative years requiring a sense of stewardship that truly integrated the fiscal, management, and operational needs of the system with the enhancement of Catholic mission, identity, and ethics in health care. Don's leadership boldly provided a collaborative vision to build a dynamic health system based on core values. His vision courageously fostered a new covenant of trust to serve our communities and patients based on ethical principles. And his sense of mission tenaciously inspired the ministry of Catholic health care to develop its role in society based on prudence and integrity. For his many gifts and dedicated service we are truly grateful for God's providence. We honor Don's leadership and wish him and his family continued success and happiness. And, of course, we wish every success for Doug French who has taken over the helm at Ascension Health, wishing him abundant blessings and organizational accomplishment. How time flies! Looking ahead, already the Center is planning the Spring Institutes for 2001. In May we will offer two newly designed Institutes in health care ethics. Each Institute lasts for three days: the first Institute (May 7-9, 2001) considers the foundations for ethics in Catholic health care; and the second Institute (May 10-12, 2001) examines organizational ethics in Catholic health care. We have planned the two Institutes to run back-to-back to enable registrants to attend both if they desire, with an attractive price-break for those who register for both Institutes! We have a great roster of ethicists to lead the sessions, including the Center's personnel, ethicists from Catholic health systems and from the Catholic Health Association. The first Institute on Ethics Foundations for Catholic health care includes sessions on the recent revision of the Ethical and Religious Directives, sponsorship and mission, ethical principles, integrity and decision making, professional relationships, social justice, e-technology issues, and the work of ethics committees and consultations. The second Institute on Organizational Ethics in Catholic health care includes sessions on stewardship, professional leadership, developing organizational ethics committees, the health care work environment and human resources, care for the poor, managed care, unions, and applying the controversial principle of material cooperation to partnerships in Catholic health care. In this e-journal you will find an advert with the relevant contact and registration information. As usual, this issue of Health Care Ethics USA has three essays addressing organizational ethics, medical ethics, and ethics foundations. The first essay deals with a crucial topic in organizational ethics: "Organizational Decision Making for Catholic Health Partnerships." This essay is the result of a research project coordinated by Sr. Marie Damian Glatt (former CEO and President of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System) when she was a visiting scholar at the Center during the Fall semester. On her behalf, I thank the many leaders in Catholic health care who contributed wisdom and time as they discussed various issues that led to this exciting and timely essay. And on behalf of everyone at the Center I extend sincere gratitude to Sr. Marie Damian for such gracious leadership during her visiting semester with us! The second essay deals with an emerging concern in medical ethics: "Electronic Medicine and the Medical Covenant." This essay is by Griffin Trotter, MD, PhD, who is one of the faculty at the Center - he explores many of the emerging concerns related to e-technology in health care. The third essay addresses one of the most important facets of ethics foundations in health care: "Catholic Social Teaching: From Principles to Practice." This essay is by Michael Panicola, PhD, the Manager for Ethics at SSM Health Care System in St. Louis - he provides a very helpful summary introduction to the Catholic tradition of social justice in health care. I hope you all enjoy the essays. Please do not hesitate to contact us with suggestions for future essays. Gerard Magill, Ph.D. Index | Next: Organizational Decision Making for Catholic Health Care Partnerships |
From the Director... |
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