Now that you have done an analysis of the potential solutions, it’s time to make a decision regarding Ms. H and her brother. Last time you wrote an individual report, but this time I’d like you and your colleagues to work together and write a report that represents all of your ideas. As a group, you will need to agree on which solution you would like to choose and write a paper justifying that solution.

Your Task
Please prepare a report that presents and defends your solution to Ms. H’s case. This paper should present detailed justifications of your position, based on your analysis of the information you’ve collected. If the Ethics Committee decides to accept your position, this paper will become the first draft of a policy proposal for the hospital’s dealing with all future patients who insist on a transplant, even if they are not suitable candidates.

Your paper should address the following concerns, though not necessarily in this order:

• What is the issue at stake?


• What are the key principles surrounding this issue?


• What are the alternatives?


• What are the consequences of each of those alternatives?


• What is your position?


• What are the consequences of your position, both good and bad?


• Why is your solution the best one?

As before you may decide you cannot take a specific position, but rather, come to an “It depends” conclusion. This is fine as long as you say thoroughly explain your position. As before, if you come to this conclusion, please develop guidelines that offer the potential solutions and the situations in which they would apply. Please use the attached template to help you create your final report. I’m looking forward to reviewing your ideas.

Sincerely,
Chris Jones, M.D.
Chair, Ethics Committee
Lincoln Regional Medical Center