title: [Implementation of clinical ethics consultation in German hospitals].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been different initiatives for the implementation of clinical ethics consultation during the past years. The present study surveys current data.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured questionnaire was used. Of the 1,858 contacted hospitals throughout Germany 550 answered to that questionnaire (return rate 29,6 %). The survey took place between September 2013 and January 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical ethics committee is the mostly implemented structure of clinical ethics consultation. Recommendations to implement those structures (ZEKO 2006, AEM 2010) show less influence than the legally binding standard (HKHG 2011). Structures of clinical ethics consultation are respected as instrument to solving ethical conflicts in clinical routines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Establishing ethics consultation should be promoted. Preferably appropriate legal rules for the implementation of clinical ethics consultation should be developed further as well as their structural framing.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schochow
authors.affiliation: Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schnell
authors.affiliation: Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steger
mesh_terms: D028741:Ethics Committees, Clinical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data