병원의료윤리위원회 운영의 경험과 교훈

We discuss our experience and learning of ethics committee in one education hospital. When it was first introduced in 1996, hospital ethics committee was something like a paper committee without action and without power. In 1998, there was a legal affair which accused and sentenced physicians as murderers who discharged the patient according to the request of his wife. This extrinsic pressure from legal system forced the hospital to activate and reform the ethics committee. The leadership of new secretary of the committee played as intrinsic thrust. Lawyer, law school professor, head of nursing department were recruited as new members of ethics committee. Rules for ethics committee were amended at second meeting. The hospital ethics creed was made at third meeting. After fourth meeting, which was released on air by TV broadcasting, two informal consultation was made to secretary. Ethical problems arising in medical practice are not likely to decrease nor become simple in the future. Ethical committee should be prepared to take this responsibility.