Medical care
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To examine whether process of hospital care differs among Hispanic, black, and white VA beneficiaries. ⋯ In contrast to findings in other studies, process of inpatient care was generally similar in Hispanic patients, black patients, and white patients. Our findings may reflect several characteristics of veterans' hospitals that may lead to care that is more equitable.
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Voluntary informed consent is a hard problem--one that inheres in the domain of research. The standard definition requires four criteria for consent to be morally valid: disclosure, understanding, voluntariness, and competence. These standards apply across the continuum of activities that comprise research. ⋯ The literature indicates that many of these subjects enroll in research on the basis of feelings of hope or trust. This finding bypasses the careful weighing of risks and benefits that the model of informed consent is based upon. This paper explores how the requirements of candor need to be balanced with those of kindness.