US doctors told to steer clear of “grateful patient” hospital fundraising because of ethical concerns

Doctors in the US have been advised to avoid engaging in fundraising with their patients or patients’ families—a practice known as “grateful patient” fundraising—on behalf of their institutions, as it can warp the patient-physician relationship.1The advice from the American College of Physicians came in the form of a position paper by the college’s Ethics, Professionalism, and Human Rights Committee, which called the practice “ethically problematic” and warned it can lead patients to expect “preferential treatment” or put “conscious or unconscious” pressure on patients to donate.Physicians have been advised “not solicit charitable contributions from their patients” and to redirect any patient who raises the topic of donating to the institution’s administrators. Additionally, they should not accept invitations to fundraising events if they are being paid for by their patient or patients’ family, the college said.“Harnessing the relationship and using knowledge of the patient’s medical history, clinical status, personal information, and financial…
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