Point and counterpoint. Should HECs make de facto binding decisions?

It is evident that HEC decisions are de facto binding. Our challenge is to recognize the implications of these decisions for patient care. As a result of the passage of the Patient Self-Determination Act and the recent JCAHO rules mandating dispute resolving mechanisms for ethical issues, case review by ethics committees will undoubtedly have an even greater influence on patient care. Therefore, health care institutions and their medical staffs must strive to find the best way to use the inherent powers of hospital ethics committees to enhance patient care decisionmaking.