Ethical Guidance for Physicians and Health Care Institutions on Grateful Patient Fundraising: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians.

Physician solicitation of charitable contributions from patients-also known among other things as grateful patient fundraising-raises significant ethical concerns. These include pressure on patients to donate and the effects of this on the patient-physician relationship, potential expectations of donor patients for treatment that is not indicated or preferential care, justice and fairness issues, disclosure and use of confidential patient information for nontreatment purposes, and conflicts of interest. The patient-physician relationship and knowledge of the patient's medical history, clinical status, personal information, and financial circumstances are some of the reasons development and administrative officials might see physicians as strong potential fundraisers. But those are among the reasons grateful patient fundraising is ethically problematic. This American College of Physicians position paper explores these issues and offers guidance.

The Hospital Course of a Successfully Treated Patient with Respiratory Failure: Beginning to End!

The successful treatment of a patient with acute respiratory failure is a complex undertaking that requires clinical competence, evidence-based interventions, seamless coordination of care transitions, and transparent open communication among all members of the health care team. Many of the processes of care in these critically ill patients are reassuringly consistent across services, across hospitals, across health systems, and even across the country. Although the clinical course of such complicated patients can be extremely unpredictable, we are fortunate that the professional, technical, and psychosocial aspects of care for these patients can be relatively orderly, evidence-based, and transparent.