KAISER PERMANENTE: Creates Ethics Council
Kaiser Permanente announced Friday the creation of a National Ethics Council to provide guidance to its senior leaders and the public on national and community health policy issues that have an ethical dimension. The 18-member council will be comprised of community leaders who are experts in bioethics and health care as well as Kaiser Permanente leadership. The group, which will have its first meeting June 30, will focus on issues of patient, member, community, professional and organizational ethics. Kaiser Chair and CEO Dr. David Lawrence, who is a member of the council, said, "Guidance provided by the council will help shape a decision-making framework for Kaiser Permanente leadership and the public at large in addressing bioethical issues." Dr. Jay Crossen, executive director of the Permanente Federation, the national organization of the 12 Permanente medical groups, said, "The council's reflections will be offered to the public to encourage values-based problem solving on issues of national concern" (click here to see a Kaiser Permanente press release with a list of the members of the council) (release, 6/12).
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