Some of the hardest ethical dilemmas in healthcare are those in which a patient needs help, but nothing within the power of healthcare professionals can address the source of the problem. Some patients are sick or will become sick again because of external forces we can’t change, lack the resources they need at home to recover, have experienced trauma with lasting effects, or are unable to trust and follow medical advice. One way to approach these cases is by understanding the outside‑of‑hospital sources of these problems, which can help reduce moral distress and self‑blame, focus our energy productively, and clarify what we can do for the patient in front of us right now. This presentation will explore practical ways to think about structural forces in “stuck” areas of patient care, how this perspective can inform care planning, and work through examples of how to apply this approach in practice.
 

Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds provides a monthly forum for teaching participants to resolve cases based on the best ethical practices. Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds also provides information on any legislative changes that occur so that clinicians are ready to implement them. The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities is the only clinical ethics center in Wisconsin. The faculty are leaders in clinical ethics and set the agenda for clinical ethics practice in Southeastern Wisconsin.

 

Key Words: Bioethics, Clinical Ethics, Health Care Ethics, Medical Ethics, Medical Humanities