[How can we establish hospital ethics committees?].

The necessity of establishing hospital ethics committees (HEC) in Poland is obvious. Limitations of such initiatives are related with lack of standards, financial support, legal provisions and well trained and educated candidates on members of HECs. HECs should: protect patient's rights and their beneficience, facilitate ethics education for doctors and other health professionals and provide ethics advice in individual cases. Members of HECs should present a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds. They should provide a comprehensive and reliable opinion in which all medical, legal and ethical aspects should be mentioned. All members should have a basic knowledge of medical ethics, related legal provisions and Medical Code of Ethics. Different models of ethics support should be provided. Ethical consultation of single specialist and committee or subcommittee debates are possible choices. It is necessary to prepare operating procedures for HECs which will provide standard and unified formalities for all referred cases. Hospital management who is interested in establishing HEC should provide adequate financial support. Members of HECs should be encouraged to upgrade their skills and knowledge.