Cross-cultural ethics should be regarded by physicians as an area of medical expertise that can help resolve conflicts that arise between the health traditions of international patients and those traditions that are upheld in the United States.
Medical expertise includes knowledge of modern interventions as well as the incorporation of ethical considerations and patient goals as they relate to treatment decisions.
The general responsibilities of bioethicists include consulting on clinical ethics issues, sitting on hospital ethics committees, engaging in policy development, and educating others about ethics.
The hospitalist model should be modified to ensure that inpatients receive continuity of care and that their expressed values regarding treatment are maintained once they are admitted.