Ethical decision-making in interdisciplinary medical teams. Evaluation of a new model for group decision-making in intensive care in ethical dilemmas

Completed Research Project

Title / Titel: Ethical decision-making in interdisciplinary medical teams. Evaluation of a new model for group decision-making in intensive care in ethical dilemmas

Summary / Zusammenfassung: In the last 20 years the possibilities of intensive care to prolong life have improved immensely due to increasing knowledge of critical illness as well as technical, medical and pharmacological improvement. There are reasonable concerns that life-supporting interventions sometimes are futile and the dying process is unnecessarily prolonged. Moreover, with prolonged intensive care there is a high increase in costs.
A responsible decision-making process has to consider not only medical aspects but also ethical, social and economic factors. Therefore, the intensive care units of internal medicine and trauma surgery at the University Hospital of Zurich have developed a framework to structure the interdisciplinary ethical decision-making process in intensive care. This same framework will also be implemented in other intensive care units at University and Cantonal Hospitals in Switzerland. Moreover, the framework will be implemented at two University Hospitals of Bucharest, Romania. The overall purpose is to evaluate whether the introduction of the new model for ethical interdisciplinary decision-making in intensive care leads to sound ethical decisions, appropriate medical interventions and improved interdisciplinary cooperation while avoiding futile treatments and ensuring a high quality of life for the patients.

Publications / Publikationen

Moser, K. S. (2004). Erste Resultate zur Untersuchung der interdisziplinären ethischen Entscheidungsfindung in der Intensivmedizin in schweizerischen und rumänischen Spitälern. In R. Baumann-Hölzle, C. Müri, M. Christen & B. Bögli (Eds.), Leben um jeden Preis? Entscheidungsfindung in der Intensivmedizin (pp. 205-220). Bern: Peter Lang.

Moser, K. S. (2004, 27. Februar 2004). Erfolgreiche Kommunikation und Kooperation in interdisziplinären Projekten: Individuelle, soziale und organisationale Voraussetzungen aus Sicht der Gruppenpsychologie. Paper presented at the Tagung 'Die Freuden und Leiden des interdisziplinären Arbeitens. Forschen im Public Health-Bereich', Universität Zürich, Institut für Sozial- und Präventivmedizin.

Maffezzoni, M., Wunder, K., Baumann-Hölzle, R., & Stoll, F. (2003). Gruppenprozesse bei Entscheidungen zur Lebensfähigkeit von Neugeborenen - Eine formative Evaluation. Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, 47(3), 162-169.

Keywords / Suchbegriffe: intensive care, ethical dilemmas, quality of life, evaluation, decision making, interdisciplinary cooperation, medical teams, group decision-making

Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte

Dr. K. S. Moser (Project Leader)	kmoser@sozpsy.uzh.ch
Dr. R. Baumann-Hölzle	rbaumann@dialog-ethik.ch
Prof. Dr. R. Stocker	reto.stocker@chi.usz.ch
PD Dr. M. Maggorini	marco.maggorini@dim.usz.ch

Funding Source(s) / Unterstützt durch: Other Public Sources (e.g. Federal or Cantonal Agencies)

In Collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit

University Hospital Zurich	Switzerland
Dialog Ethik, Interdisziplinäres Institut für Ethik im Gesundheitswesen, Zürich	Switzerland

Duration of Project / Projektdauer: Jan 2003 to Dec 2006