UB Center for Clinical Ethics and Humanities in Health Care

Ethics Committee Core Curriculum

Determination of Death
Consensus Conference


As stated in the July, 1986 report of the Task Force on Life and the Law, "Public policy regarding the determination of death must command broad moral and social acceptance and conform with sound medical practice." In 1994, the New York State Transplant Council identified a need to provide information on the procedures for diagnosing health in hospital patients to reduce the variation in practice. Differing procedures and tests used by hospitals has done little to lend credibility to this difficult diagnosis for physicians, family members, and the public.

In 1995, a group of New York State consumer and provider organizations and agencies formed an ad hoc workgroup which planned and conducted a consensus conference with clinical experts to develop standard procedures. This conference was chaired by Fred Plum, M.D., Chairman, Department of Neurology, New York Hospital. The consensus statement is contained in a document entitled "Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for Determination of Death."

Sponsoring Organizations

 New York State Department of Health
Consumer Health Information Council
Medical Society of the State of New York
Greater New York Hospital Association
Healthcare Association of New York State
New York Academy of Medicine
National Black Nurses Association
New York State Nurses Association
Organ Procurement Organizations in New York State
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Region 9

Participants

Fred Plum, M.D.
Chairman
Department of Neurology
New York Hospital
Chairperson
Determination of Death Consensus Conference
525 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10021

Specalties Represented:
1. Intensive Care Nursing
2. Intensivists
3. Neurology - Pediatric Neurology
4. Neurosurgery
5. Pediatric Intensivist
6. Trauma Surgery

INVITED EXPERTS:

[1] Gladys Ramos, DON
Metropolitan Hospital
1901First Avenue
New York, NY 10029

[2] Martin Doerfler, M.D.
Chairman, Intensive Care Unit
Bellevue Hospital Center
27th Street and First Avenue
New York, NY 10016

[2] David Kaufman, M.D.
Intensive Care Unit Intensivist
Rochester General Hospital
1425 Portland Avenue
Rochester, NY 14621

[2] Robert Kurtz, M.D.
Director of Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Metropolitan Hospital Center
Chairman, Professional Education Committee
1901 First Avenue
New York, NY 10029

[3] Matthew Fink, M.D.
Chief, Neurology
Beth Israel Medical Center
317 East 17th Street
Fierman, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10003

[3] Frederick Munschauer, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Neurology
And Internal Medicine
Buffalo General Hospital
100 High Street
Buffalo, NY 14203

[3] Venkat Ramani, M.D.
Professor of Neurology
Department of Neurology
Albany Medical Center
New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208

[3] Jonathan Root, M.D.
Director, Neurology/Neurosurgery
Special Care Unit
New York Hospital
525 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10021

[3] Stanley J. Rothman, M.D.
Assistant Professor and Chief
Sections of Pediatrics and Neurology
New York Medical College
Westchester County Medical Center
Grasslands Reservation
Valhalla, NY 10595

[3] Bruno P. Tolge, M.D.
Neurological Associates of
Northeastern New York
1401 Union Street
Schenectady, NY 12308

[3] Bradley T. Truax, M.D.
Medical Director
Erie County Medical Center
462 Grider Street
Buffalo, NY 14215

Current Address:
Independent Health
511 Farber Lakes Drive
Buffalo, NY 14221

[3] James Zisfein, M.D.
Chief, Section of Neurology
Lincoln Medical and Mental
Health Center
234 East 149th Street
Bronx, NY 10451

[4] Alan Hirschfeld, M.D.
Assistant Profesor of
Neurological Surgery
St. Vincent's Hospital
153 West 11th Street
New York, NY 10001

[4] George Tyson, M.D.
Chairman of Neurosurgery
Head of Neurology
University Hospital
Stony Brook, NY 11794

[5] Howard Zucker, M.D.
Pediatric Director, Intensive Care Unit
Babies and Childrens Hospital of New york
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and
Anesthesiology
Columbia University College of Physicians
and Surgeons
3959 Broadway
New York, NY 10032

[6] Sheldon Teperman, M.D.
Attending Physician, Department of Surgery
Bronx Municipal Hospital Center
Pelham Parkway and Eastchester Road
Bronx, NY 10461

SPONSORS:

Jeremiah Barondess, M.D.
President
New York Academy of Medicine
2 East 102nd Street
New York, NY 10021

Linda Burnes Bolton, Dr.Ph, RN
National Black Nurses Association
P.O. Box 1823
Washington, D.C. 20013-1823

Cornelia Fleming, MPH, RN
Senior Director of Nursing
New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center
16 Guion Place
New Rochelle, NY 10802

Arthur Levin
Director, Center for Medical Consumers
Chairman, Consumer Health Information
Council
237 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012

Warren Saunders
New York Regional Transplant
Program, Inc.
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1244
New York, NY 10115

Charles Miller, M.D.
Director of Liver Transplantation
Mount Sinai Medical Center
19 East 98th Street, Suite 9D
Box 1259
New York, NY 10029

Marianne Wozniak
Senior Transplant Coordinator
Upstate New York Transplant
Services, Inc.
1093 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14209

Barbara Bianchi, RN, CPTC
Organ Procurement Coordinator
University of Rochester Medical Center
Corporate Woods of Brighton
Building 120, Suite 180
Rochester, NY 14642

Felix Rapaport, M.D.
Director
Long Island Transplant
State University of New York
at Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11794

Elizabeth Sommers-Strevey
Senior Vice President
Regulatory and Professional Affairs
Greater New York Hospital Association
555 West 57th Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10019

Peter Rogatz, M.D.
76 Oakdale Lane
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577

Francesca Storrs
Assistant Director
Professional and Regulatory Affairs
Healthcare Association of New York State
74 North Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12207

Frank Taft
Administrative Director
Organ Procurement and Transplant
Service
Albany Medical College
47 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208

Direct questions about the posting of this report to Dr. Brad Truax
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Move Ahead to Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for Determination of Death
Last Revised 3/20/97