title: Can we accredit hospital ethics? A tentative proposal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this research was to develop ethics accreditation standards for hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our research methods included a literature review, an expert focus group, the Delphi technique and a hospital survey. The entire process was separated into two stages: (1) the development of a draft of hospital ethics accreditation standards; and (2) conducting a nationwide hospital survey of the proposed standards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study produced a tentative draft of hospital ethics accreditation standards comprised of six chapters and 62 standards based on the expert focus group and Delphi technique. The six chapters are: Medical ethics policies, regulations and leadership; The establishment and operation of a medical ethics committee; The establishment and operation of research-related ethics committees; Medical ethics education; Organisational ethical climate; and Respect for patients' rights and establishment of good hospital-patient relationships. The hospital survey indicated that the concept of an organisational ethical climate was new to most hospital managers, most hospitals disliked the idea of having a separate hospital ethics accreditation system, and small hospitals were concerned about their ability to comply with all of the standards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regardless of whether hospital ethics accreditation can be a stand-alone accreditation or just part of existing hospital accreditation programmes, we hope this draft can serve as a good reference for future endeavours by hospital accreditation authorities.
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Min-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chih-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Wen-Ta
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Ching-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Che-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation / Q000379:methods*; D003697:Delphi Technique; D028741:Ethics Committees, Clinical / Q000592:standards*; D028744:Ethics Committees, Research; D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D005104:Expert Testimony; D017144:Focus Groups; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires