SCCM Resource Library-Equity in ECMO: How Biases May Impact ECMO Decisions

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Jenny Kingsley, a pediatric intensivist and bioethics faculty member, discusses health equity related to ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) utilization in pediatrics. She emphasizes the importance of addressing disparities caused by social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and geographic barriers. Research indicates inconsistency in ECMO candidacy and utilization, influenced by clinician biases and varying quality of life perceptions. Kingsley underscores a need for transparency and accountability in decision-making processes to mitigate these disparities. Geographic factors significantly affect ECMO access, disadvantaging rural populations. Additionally, clinicians' biases influence ECMO decisions, often based on subjective values like perceived quality of life rather than objective medical criteria. Kingsley calls for more explicit, consistent, and transparent decision-making processes, incorporating ethical guidelines to ensure equitable ECMO access and improve shared decision-making between clinicians and families. She encourages a shift from discrimination to discretion, advocating for accountability metrics to enhance fairness and justice in ECMO utilization.

Asset Caption

One-Hour Concurrent Session | Deus Ex Machina: Decision-Making and Ethics in Pediatric ECMO

Meta Tag

Content Type Presentation

Membership Level Professional

Membership Level Select

Year 2024

Keywords

health equity

ECMO utilization

social determinants

clinical biases

ethical guidelines

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