Tag / Center for Practical Bioethics
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Richard Butin, MD: The Making of an Ethics Champion
The Center for Practical Bioethics is proud to honor Dr. Richard Butin, Staff Physician and Associate Professor of Medicine at University Health, as 2025 Ethics Champion of the Year in recognition of his leadership in addressing complex ethical issues in health and healthcare.
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![A caring doctor-patient moment. The doctor is setting their hand on the patient's hand.]()
Case Study – Doctor-Patient Relationships: When Is It Ethically Acceptable to End Them?
Bioethics case study on doctor-patient relationships in VIDEO and PRINT. This case study in clinical ethics discusses when it is acceptable to end a doctor-patient relationship. Published by the Center for Practical Bioethics.
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![Man holding his head in pain.]()
Case Study: Behavioral Issues Lead to Challenging Discharge
Bioethics case study on Mr. Ankeal with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and multiple other chronic conditions, including chronic pain has been hospitalized. He has been moving between outpatient dialysis centers for several months due to repeated behavioral issues. The hospital care team has been unable to find an outpatient dialysis clinic willing to accept him due to his documented behavioral history. Published by the Center for Practical Bioethics.
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July 24 2025 Email Newsletter
The Center for Practical Bioethics’ July e-newsletter starts with a letter of gratitude to our supporters. This month’s stories include the impact of clinical ethics consultation at a large health system, ethical perspectives on Medicaid cuts, and a bioethics video case study on distributive justice.
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2025 AI and IPAs
You’re invited by the Center for Practical Bioethics to AI and IPAs: A Young Professionals Networking and Learning Event on Thursday, August 28 from 4:30 – 6:30 pm at DoubleTap KC int River Market.
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![Hands piled on top of each other to represent building relationships.]()
It’s All About Building Relationships
Whether you read our Bioethics Bulletin for personal or professional reasons, Editor Trudi Galblum explains the Center’s goal: To be your trusted bioethics source for valuable hot topic analysis, case studies and workshops.
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![Krystal Pence picture.]()
Clinical Ethics Consultation at a Large Health System
Krystal Pence, LMSW, is seeing the growing impact of the Ethics Committee on patient care and institutional policies at Advent Health Kansas City. Krystal describes what dealing with complex cases was like “before and after” her hospital’s Ethics Committee began working the Center.
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![Our Ethics Dispatch social media graphic showing glasses a reading tablet and a print newspaper.]()
Ethics Dispatch July 2025
The July Ethics Dispatch is on Why Rural Healthcare Fails Without Medicaid: An Ethical Analysis. With Medicaid cuts looming, we discuss the principles of bioethics to the cuts’ impact on rural healthcare. And we explore the philosophical concept of “ought implies can,” which holds that for someone to have a moral obligation, that person must have the ability to accomplish said obligation. Which begs the question: When do we have a moral obligation to provide Medicaid coverage?
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![Distributive Justice demonstrated with two plastic fish in glasses of water. One fish has plenty of water, the other does not.]()
Case Study – Distributive Justice: A Challenge for Clinical Ethics
Bioethics case study on distributive justice in VIDEO and PRINT. This case study in clinical ethics challenges several concepts within the idea of justice. Should this patient receive an equal share? Or receive according to his need? How do we ensure we treat this patient fairly?
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![A bed and night stand.]()
Case Study: When is it ethical to override a patient’s medical wishes?
Bioethics case study on Mr. Schumann, who signed an advance directive seven years ago indicating that he would not want life-sustaining treatment if he were unconscious with no hope of recovery. The family acknowledges the directive but insists that, if he could speak today, he would want everything done – for their sake.
