Expectations, Hope and Futility: Law and Bioethics in Contemporary Healthcare

The Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law 2011 conference is titled "Expectations, Hope and Futility: Law and Bioethics in  Contemporary Healthcare."  Here are some of the questions that will be addressed:

• What is the role of Expectations (realistic or otherwise) in driving contemporary health care?


• To what extent can, or should, Hope be fostered – what are the harms and benefits? 


• After 3 decades of defining, measuring and critiquing medical Futility, where are we in 2011?


• Do health consumers’ Expectations and Hope drive Futile care measures across the spectrum of our healthcare system? 


• Do health professionals’ misunderstanding of what would constitute a good outcome from the patient’s perspective drive Futile care measures? 


• What impact does this have on health service budgets?  


• How are these considerations supported or denied in law within Australia and New Zealand?


• How should we best frame these questions – ethically, legally or professionally?