Economization in health care as a challenge for organizational ethics

Abstract

Definition of the problem: The financial pressure on German hospitals results in an economization of medical decisions which compromises the quality of patient care and constitutes a considerable burden for health care personnel. This article investigates the possibilities of an organizational ethical approach to manage the challenges of economization. Arguments: Selected empirical findings illustrate the impact of economization on patient care and on hospital personnel. They also provide first hints on hospitals’ possible actions against economizations. Results: The findings show that economization requires an organizational ethical approach which uses the hospital’s possibilities for actions on the meso level. The organizational approach is presented in its main features and then specified in the sense of a value management as a possible solution for the challenges of economization. Finally, the article presents perspectives on how clinical ethics committees can work with an organizational approach against the negative implications of the economization on patient care and personnel in the hospital.