Handout 1.2 Choosing Issues for PE: Tracking Tool (Appropriateness) (See reverse side for brief column descriptions.) Appropriateness for PE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Date Issue Came to Attention of PE (mm/dd/yy) Source of Issue (1–2 words) Possible Ethics Issue (who, what, where, when, how much or how often) Immediate Action Req’d (Y/N/U) Simple Problem/Obvious Solution (Y/N) Other Program Responsible for This Issue (Y/N) Ethics Quality Gap Preliminary Improvement Goal Appropriate for PE (Y/N) Best Ethics Practice Current Ethics Practice Ethics Domain Ethics Topic Practice Inconsistent with Ethical Standards, Norms, or Expectations (Y/N) Data Available (Y/N) If Data Unavailable, Easily Collected (Y/N) 9/15/ 20XX TJC A recent accreditation review of primary care health records found that only a few patient requests for assistance with completing an advance directive were followed up on by clinic staff. N N N Y= Yes; N=No; U=Unsure *A complete version of this tracking tool is available online at .
5. Does this issue represent a simple problem with an obvious solution? For example, if you have an ethics policy that hasn’t been updated or the ethics program hasn’t offered necessary education to staff. Resp. () Next step Yes STOP This issue does not require an ISSUES approach to improve. Just Do It! No Proceed to the next question for assessing appropriateness for PE. Explain: 6. Is another program or service responsible for this issue? Does another program or service have oversight responsibilities for the issue? Does this issue involve a clinical, business, or research process that another office “owns” or is directly responsible for? Resp. () Next step Yes Contact the program or service that has oversight responsibility or that “owns” the process. No Proceed to the next question for assessing appropriateness for PE. Explain: 7. Is there an ethics domain related to this issue? (Select from Handout 1.3: IntegratedEthics Health Care Ethics Domains and Topics.)
Handout 1.11 Choosing Issues for PE: Tracking Tool (Appropriateness)—Answer Key Appropriateness for PE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Date Issue Came to Attention of PE (mm/dd/yy) Source of Issue (1–2 words) Possible Ethics Issue (who, what, where, when, how much or how often) Immediate Action Req’d (Y/N) Simple Problem/Obvious Solution (Y/N) Other Program Responsible for This Issue (Y/N) Ethics Quality Gap Preliminary Improvement Goal Appropriate for PE (Y/N) Best Ethics Practice Current Ethics Practice Ethics Domain Ethics Topic Practice Inconsistent with Ethical Standards, Norms, or Expectations (Y/N) Data Available (Y/N) If Data Unavailable, Easily Collected (Y/N) 9/15/XX TJC A recent accreditation review of primary care health records found that only a few patient requests for assistance with completing an advance directive were followed up on by clinic staff. N N N SDM ACP Y N Y Increase assistance to primary care patients who request help with completing an advance directive Y 9/25/XX ECC Ethics consult service reports a 50% increase in cases in the ICU where there is a lack of timely identification of surrogate decision makers causing delay in treatment planning and decision making for patients with life-limiting diseases. N N N SDM Surr. Dec. Mkg Y N Y Increase early identification of surrogate decision makers in the ICU Y 9/30/XX Office Staff Three supervisors in the business office are openly dating their subordinates. Y N 9/30/XX Primary Care Mgr. 60% of patients seeking primary care services for non-urgent issues are not accommodated within the requested time frame. 40% of patients wait an average of 3 weeks for an appointment. N N Y N
9/15/XX Nurse Mgr. Surg. Svcs. The nurse manager for surgical services reported that there have been instances where adverse events that caused harm that should have been disclosed to patients or their personal representatives were not disclosed. N N y Prof. Truth Tell Y Y Increase disclosure of adverse events that caused harm to patients or their personal representative on surgical services Y 8/30/XX Pt Adv The patient advocate reports an increased number of complaints this qtr by patients who have a designated service dog being denied entry to the clinic by the clerk. Policy indicates service dogs are allowed in the clinic. N Y N