2007 Year in Review Brief

2007 marks 23 years of raising and responding to ethical issues in health and healthcare by the Center for Practical Bioethics. It was a fascinating year of seeking common ground and putting practical bioethics into action. Click on the links below for an overview of Center activities in 2007.

We are forever grateful for your support of the Center for Practical Bioethics. Here’s to a great 2008!

Aging & End of Life

• Completed CDC: End-of-life model for public health departments across the country, featuring end-of-life training and resource materials for public health professionals so they can be better equipped to handle inquiries from the public.
• Take Stock Summit addresses why only 30 percent of Americans complete advance care planning documents.
• Pediatric Palliative Care Initiative, including quarterly forums, presentations and development of Caring Conversations for Young Adults.

Clinical & Organizational Ethics

• The Kansas City Area Ethics Committee Consortium started work on guidelines for ethics in disaster planning, while also coordinating two workshops for ethics committees.  
• St John Health (Detroit) - Duke Institute on Care at the End of Life collaboration for palliative care 
• Ethics Consultation with Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute

Disparities in Health and Healthcare

• Northland CARE/MetroCARE network matching specialists and primary care physicians with patients in need.
• Sabbaths of Hope  observances aimed at enabling clergy and other faith leaders to offer more effective support to congregants suffering from depression.
• Co-sponsored cancer disparities conference with Black Health Care Coalition

Life Science and Research Ethics

• National Balanced Pain Policy Initiative, advocating for patients and influencing pain policy.
• Co-sponsored with Shawnee Mission Medical Center forum on stem cell controversies

Community Support

• Rosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics, lead gift of $1 million received and more than half of endowment has been raised thus far.
• 2007 Annual Dinner honors Drs. William and Marjorie Sirridge for a lifetime of work in medical ethics and the humanities.
• Dr. John Lantos assumes John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics, established in 2005 with a $3 million endowment from the Francis Family Foundation.

Education

• Co-sponsored with William Jewell College Mind and Heart Together: Celebrating Intellectual Pursuit in Undergraduate Nursing at Stowers Institute
• William Jewell College bioethics practicum course and internships
• Intro to Bioethics at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
• Developed online bioethics curriculum for University of Oklahoma
• Co-facilitating new Human Values Rounds with University of Missouri Kansas City medical residents at Saint Luke's Hospital

Lectures

• Flanigan Lecture 2007 features Ezekiel J. Emanuel MD, PhD, of the National Institutes of Health speaking on Allocating Scarce Vaccines in an Influenza Pandemic. 
• Cockefair Lecture 2007 features Eleanor Clift in a talk entitled, A Public and Private Death.
• Numerous lectures and presentations by program staff at conferences and institutions across the country 

Publications

• Practical Bioethics 2007  addressed pain management and choices during a pandemic.
• Numerous articles and chapters written by program staff for a variety of publications