Virtual Mentor. December 2004, Volume 6, Number 12.

December 2004 Contents

Standards of Care: An Ethical Examination

Ethics Poll

When should physicians or other health care professionals search for relevant clinical practice guidelines or evidence-based medicine in their practice?
In every case
When confronting an unusual case
When assessing cost and benefits
When an initial treatment plan has not produced the desired outcome

Should HIV testing be mandatory for pregnant women?
Yes
No

Cost effectiveness should always be addressed explicitly in statements of clinical practice guidelines.
Agree
Disagree

Which of the following best explains why clinical practice guidelines do not apply to every clinical circumstance?
Medicine is more art than science.
Clinical practice guidelines do not take into account patient values.
The evidentiary base of clinical practice guidelines is often uncertain.
View results

From the Editor

Ethics in Standards of Care: The Joy of Doctoring
Matt DeCamp
Full Text

Educating for Professionalism

Clinical Cases

A Fever of Unknown Source
Commentary by Francis Neelon, Robert H. Pantell and Timothy E. Quill
Full Text

Confusion over Cholesterol Testing
Commentary by Kenneth Goodman and Eta S. Berner
Full Text

Preoperative Screening: Medical or Legal Guidelines?
Commentary by Mark Tonelli and Erin Egan
Full Text

Journal Discussion

A New Process for Writing Clinical Guidelines
Brian Horvath
Full Text

Clinical Pearl

The Impact of Recent Clinical Trials on National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines
Niharika P. Bansal
Full Text

Law, Policy, and Society

Health Law

What Counts as Expert Medical Testimony?
Mollie E. O'Brien
Full Text

Policy Forum

Cost and Clinical Practice Guidelines: Can Two Wrongs Make It Right?
Ellen K. Hummel and Peter A. Ubel
Full Text

Achieving Diversity and Its Benefits in Clinical Research
Vivian W. Pinn
Full Text

Medicine and Society

Routine Prenatal HIV Testing as a Standard of Care
Getahun Aynalem, Peter Kerndt and Kellie Hawkins
Full Text

Op-Ed and Correspondence

Op-Ed

Does Evidence-Based Medicine Offer Fair Benefits for All?
Wendy Rogers
Full Text

History, Art, and Narrative

History of Medicine

The Origins and Promise of Medical Standards Of Care*
Eleanor D. Kinney
Full Text

Resources

Suggested Readings and Resources
Full Text

Test Questions
Full Text

About the Contributors
Full Text