Profile

Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH

Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH

Bioethics, Emergency Medicine

On staff since October 1990

Children's Title: Director of Education Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics; Chair, Institutional Review Board Committee

Academic Title: Professor, Bioethics; Professor, Emergency Medicine; Adjunct Professor, Department of Bioethics and Humanities; Adjunct Professor Department of Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Service

Research Center: Center for Clinical and Translational Research

  • Biography

    Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH, is attending physician and director of education for the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics at Seattle Childrens Hospital and professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He received his MD from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and his MPH from the University of Washington School of Public Health.

    He completed his residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison. He is board certified in general pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine by the American Board of Pediatrics. He is a member of several medical organizations. His teaching responsibilities include education in the emergency department, monthly pediatric ethics conferences and several education committees. He has been a visiting professor throughout the WAMI region (Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho). He is nationally sought after as a lecturer. He has numerous local and national committee responsibilities, as well as an extensive bibliography. He is past-chair of the Committee on Bioethics of the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves on the Ethics Committee of the American Board of Pediatrics. His research interests include pediatric bioethics and pediatric wilderness medicine.

    Dr. Doug Diekema's bibliography includes Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-Based Textbook,Cambridge University Press, 2011.

    About this book: "I wrote this book to fill a gap in the literature. Many people asked me to recommend one book they should read to get an introduction to issues in pediatric clinical ethics. I was not happy with the options available, and decided to put together a volume that covered the issues comprehensively and in a manner that was relevant to clinical providers and ethics scholars.

    This volume provides a practical overview of the ethical issues arising in pediatric practice. The case-based approach grounds the bioethical concepts in real-life situations, covering a broad range of important and controversial topics, including informed consent, confidentiality, truthfulness and fidelity, ethical issues relating to perinatology and neonatology, end-of-life issues, new technologies, and problems of justice and public health in pediatrics. A dedicated section also addresses the topics of professionalism, including boundary issues, conflicts of interests and relationships with industry, ethical issues arising during training, and dealing with the impaired or unethical colleague. Each chapter contains a summary of the key issues covered and recommendations for approaching similar situations in other contexts. Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-Based Textbook is an essential resource for all physicians who care for children, as well as medical educators, residents and scholars in clinical bioethics." --Dr. Doug Diekema, November 2011.

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  • Awards and Honors

    Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date
    William G. Bartholome Award for Ethical Excellence American Academy of Pediatrics 2015
    Stanley Stamm Role Model in Medicine Award University of Washington Pediatric Residents 2015

  • Publications

    • Cho MK, Magnus D, Constantine M, Lee SS, Kelley M, Alessi S, Korngiebel D, James C, Kuwana E, Gallagher TH, Diekema D, Capron AM, Joffe S, Wilfond BS
      Attitudes Toward Risk and Informed Consent for Research on Medical Practices: A Cross-sectional Survey.
      25868119 Annals of internal medicine , 2015 Apr, 14
    • Kunz SN, McAdams RM, Diekema DS, Opel DJ
      A quality of life quandary: a framework for navigating parental refusal of treatment for co-morbidities in infants with underlying medical conditions.
      25794289 The Journal of clinical ethics , 2015 : 26(1)16-23
    • Douglas S. Diekema
      Public Health Issues in Pediatrics
      Bioethics, 4th Edition , 2015 : 2366-2369
    • Grady C, Wiener L, Abdoler E, Trauernicht E, Zadeh S, Diekema DS, Wilfond BS, Wendler D
      Assent in research: the voices of adolescents.
      24630932 The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine , 2014 May : 54(5)515-20 PMCID: PMC4047975
    • Diekema DS
      Religious Objections to Medical Care
      Bioethics , 2014 : 2713-2717
    • Diekema, et all
      The OHRP and SUPPORT
      The New England journal of medicine , 2013 June 5
    • Moreno MA, Goniu N, Moreno PS, Diekema DS
      Ethics of Social Media Research: Common Concerns and Practical Considerations
      Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking , 2013 May 16 : 16(5)
    • Committee on Bioethics, American Academy of Pediatrics
      Policy Statement: Ethical Controversies in Organ Donation after Circulatory Death
      Pediatrics , 2013 Apr, 29 : 131(5)1021-26
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      The Intersection of Evidence and Values in Clinical guidelines: Who Decides What Constitutes Acceptable Risk in the Care of Children?
      Hospital Pediatrics , 2013 Apr, 1 : 3(2)87-91
    • AAP Task Force on Circumcision (Diekema primary author)
      Cultural Bias and Circumcision: The AAP Task Force on Circumcision Responds
      Pediatrics , 2013 Mar. 18 : 131(4)801-4
    • The AAP Task Force on Circumcision 2012
      The AAP Task Force on Neonatal Circumcision: a call for respectful dialogue.
      23508207 Journal of medical ethics , 2013 Mar. 18
    • Ross LF, Saal HM, Anderson R, David K, American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Bioethics, American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Genetics, and American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Social, Ethical, and Legal Issues Committee
      Ethical and Policy Issues in Genetic Testing and Screening of Children: Technical Report
      Genetics in Medicine , 2013 Feb. 21 : 15(3)234-245
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Policy Statement: Ethical and policy issues in genetic testing and screening of children.
      Genetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics , 2013 Feb. 21 : 15(3)620-22
    • Shand J, Berg J, Bogue C, Committee for Pediatric Research, Committee on Bioethics
      Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and human embryo research.
      23109685 Pediatrics , 2012 Nov. : 130(5)972-7
    • American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision
      Male circumcision.
      22926175 Pediatrics , 2012 Sept. : 130(3)e756-85
    • American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Circumcision
      Circumcision policy statement.
      22926180 Pediatrics , 2012 Sept. : 130(3)585-6
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Female Genital Cutting: The Misnomer of Female Circumcision
      Surgical Guide to Circumcision , 2012 July : 281-90
    • Wilfond BS, Diekema DS
      Engaging children in genomics research: decoding the meaning of assent in research.
      22323071 Genetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics , 2012 Apr, : 14(4)437-43
    • Diekema DS
      Improving childhood vaccination rates.
      22296072 The New England journal of medicine , 2012 Feb. : 366(5)391-3
    • Opel DJ, Diekema DS
      Finding the proper balance between freedom and justice: why we should not eliminate personal belief exemptions to vaccine mandates.
      Journal of health politics, policy and law , 2011 Oct. 14 : 37(1)141-7
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-based Textbook
      Cambridge University Press , 2011 Oct.
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      When Institutional, Professional, and Public Health Obligations Conflict: The Controversial Case of Youth Boxing in Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-based Textbook
      Cambridge University Press , 2011 Oct. : 211-14
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      The Impaired, Incompetent, and Unethical Provider in Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-based Textbook
      Cambridge University Press , 2011 Oct. : 231-34
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Parental Refusals of Vaccination and School Vaccine Mandates: Balancing Parental Freedom, Child Welfare, and Public Health in Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-based Textbook
      Cambridge University Press , 2011 Oct. : 205-10
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Parental Refusals of Recommended Medical Interventions in Clinical Ethics in Pediatrics: A Case-based Textbook
      Cambridge University Press , 2011 Oct. : 14-7
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Reasons to think twice before calling CPS about morbid obesity
      AAP Grand Rounds , 2011 Oct. : 26(4)48
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Examining the Quest to Eliminate Discrepancies in IRB Decisions
      AJOB Primary Research , 2011 Aug. : 2(2)34-6
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Clinical Report: Maternal-Fetal Intervention and Fetal Care Centers
      Pediatrics , 2011 Aug. : 128e473-78
    • Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Committee on Bioethics
      Policy Statement: Consent for emergency medical services for children and adolescents.
      21788221 Pediatrics , 2011 Aug. : 128(2)427-33
    • Diekema DS
      Adolescent refusal of lifesaving treatment: are we asking the right questions?
      22106736 Adolescent medicine: state of the art reviews , 2011 Aug. : 22(2)213-28
    • Nishisaki A, Diekema DS
      Mind the gap and narrowing it: family presence during pediatric resuscitation and invasive procedures.
      21514713 Resuscitation , 2011 June : 82(6)655-6
    • Diekema DS
      Revisiting the best interest standard: uses and misuses.
      21837884 The Journal of clinical ethics , 2011 June : 22(2)128-33
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Waitress in The Picture of Health: Medical Ethics and the Movies
      Oxford University Press , 2011 May : 186-91
    • Rosenthal MS, Diekema DS
      Pediatric ethics guidelines for hereditary medullary thyroid cancer.
      21436957 International journal of pediatric endocrinology , 2011 Mar. : 847603 PMCID: PMC3198744
    • Opel DJ, Diekema DS, Marcuse EK
      Not Just a Bad Apple, but a Bad Barrel: The Biomedical Research System in the Wake of Wakefield
      BMJ , 2011 Jan. 22 : 342179 - 80
    • Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH
      Bone Marrow Donation Between Siblings Living in Different Families
      Pediatrics , 2011 Jan. : 127(1)158-62
    • Douglas S. Diekema
      Male Circumcision [Addenedum]
      Bioethics : 586-588

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  • Presentations

    Presentations Title Event Location Date
    Challenging the Conventional Wisdom in Pediatric Bioethics 1st Annual Norman Fost Ethics Lectureship/Pediatric Grand Rounds, University of Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin Dec. 4, 2014
    William G. Bartholome Award Lecture: Revisiting Assent in Pediatric Research and Clinical Care American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition San Diego, California Oct. 13, 2014
    Ethical Challenges with Refusal of Recommended Therapy: Alternative Therapy, Surgery, and High Risk Medications Cleveland Clinic 23rd Annual International Epilepsy Symposia, Emerging Ethical and Legal Challenges in Chronic Neurological Conditions Cleveland, Ohio Oct. 8, 2014
    When Parents and Providers Disagree: Understanding and Responding to Conflicts in the Care of Children Spectrum Health 7th Annual Ethics Conference: Ethics, Law, and Clinical Practice Grand Rapids, Michigan Sept. 5, 2014
    Ashley X revisited: Growth Attenuation, Parental Choice and the Rights of the Disabled 6TH Annual A. David Kline Symposium on Public Philosophy: Exploring the Synergy Between Pediatric Bioethics and Child Rights Jacksonville, Florida March 7, 2014
    Improving Childhood Vaccination Coverage: Working with Vaccine Hesitant Parents 21st Annual Louisiana Shots for Tots State Conference New Orleans, Louisiana Nov. 7, 2013
    Ashley Revisited: Growth Attenuation and Children with Severe Developmental Disabilities Christine Harrison Bioethics Lecture/Pediatric Grand Rounds, Sick Kids Hospital Toronto, Ontaria, Canada Nov. 6, 2013
    In Case You Missed It: Interesting Articles from AAP Grand Rounds American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition Orlando, Florida Oct. 27, 2013
    Pediatricians Should Accept Care of Children Whose Parents Refuse Vaccination Thomas A. Pitts Lectureship in Medical Ethics, Medical University of Sourth Carolina Charleston, South Carolina Oct. 18, 2013
    Eyes Wide Open: Physicians and Industry Relationships Pediatric Grand Rounds, British Columbia Children's Hospital Vancouver, British Columbia May 17, 2013
    Child Brain Development: Implications for Consent, Assent, and Refusal of Life-Saving Interventions Pediatric Grand Rounds, Montreal Childrens Hospital/McGill University Montreal, Canada Dec. 5, 2012
    Vaccine Hesitancy 8th Annual New Jersey Vaccines for Children Conference East Windsor, NJ Nov. 11, 2012
    Eyes Wide Open: Physicians and Industry Relationships Pediatric Grand Rounds, Yale University New Haven, CT Oct. 31, 2012
    In Case You Missed It: Interesting Articles from AAP Grand Rounds American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition New Orleans, LA Oct. 21, 2012
    Making Assent Meaningful in Research Involving Children Annual Ethics and Compliance in Oncology Research Conference Houston, TX Oct. 7, 2012
    Breathing Sense into Croup and Asthma Clinical Pediatric Conference Vancouver, Canada Oct. 5, 2012
    The Adolescent Brain: OMG, What R They Thinking? Clinical Pediatric Conference Vancouver, Canada Oct. 5, 2012
    Ethical Issues when Parents Refuse Vaccines American Academy of Pediatrics, Nevada Chapter, Fifth Annual Meeting Las Vegas, NV Aug. 11, 2012
    When our Patients Wander off the Trail: Lessons from Wilderness Mishaps Pediatric Grand Rounds, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC May 17, 2012
    Ethical Issues in the Management of Puberty and Fertility in Mentally Challenged Children Bioethics Grand Rounds, University of Kentucky Lexington, KY May 15, 2012
    Adolescent Patients Refusal of Recommended Medical Therapy American Society of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Annual Meeting New Orleans, LA May 10, 2012
    Pediatric Respiratory Emergencies Idaho Society for Respiratory Care Annual State Conference Booise, ID April 24, 2012
    Understanding Disagreement and Resolving Conflict Idaho Society for Respiratory Care Annual State Conference Boise, ID April 24, 2012
    When Parents and Providers Disagree: Understanding and Responding to Conflicts in the Care of Children Pediatric Grand Rounds/Visiting Professor, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC Nov. 2, 2011 - Nov. 4, 2011
    Difficult Parents/Difficult Patients American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition Boston, MA Oct. 15, 2011 - Oct. 17, 2011
    Consent, Confidentiality, and the Clap: Ethical Controversies in Pediatric Emergency Medicine American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition Boston, MA Oct. 15, 2011 - Oct. 17, 2011
    Ethical Issues in the Management of Puberty and Fertility in Children with Chronic Disabilities 93rd Annual Meeting and Expo of The Endocrine Society Boston, MA June 7, 2011
    When Parents and Providers Disagree: Understanding and Responding to Conflicts in the Medical Care of Children Childrens Hospital at Dartmouth Pediatric Grand Rounds Lebanon, NH May 11, 2011
    Rising to the Occasion: Strategies for Communicating with Vaccine Hesitant Parents Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting Denver, CO May 1, 2011 - May 3, 2011
    Are IRBs Seriously Outmoded? A Debate Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting Denver, CO May 1, 2011 - May 3, 2011
    Stopping Growth Hormone Therapy: How Tall is Tall Enough? Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting Denver, CO May 1, 2011 - May 3, 2011
    Ethics in Pediatrics: When can a Parent Decline Treatment for a Child? National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting Las Vegas, NV April 28, 2011
    Who Decides? Understanding Autonomy and Ethical Decision-making for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities The California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities Los Angeles, CA April 15, 2011
    Eyes Wide Open: Physicians and Industry Sinai Hospital Internal Medicine Grand Rounds Baltimore, MD March 24, 2011
    Whats "Hot: in Pediatric Bioethics St. Lukes Childrens Hospital Pediatric Bioethics Conference Boise, ID Jan. 28, 2011 - Jan. 29, 2011
    What is Futility? St. Lukes Childrens Hospital Pediatric Bioethics Conference Boise, ID Jan. 28, 2011 - Jan. 29, 2011
    Keynote: Adolescent Patients: Assent and Confidentiality St. Lukes Childrens Hospital Pediatric Bioethics Conference Boise, ID Jan. 28, 2011 - Jan. 29, 2011

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Overview

Board Certification(s)

Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Pediatrics

Medical/Professional School

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill
University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle

Residency

Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison

Fellowship

Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle

Clinical Interests

Pediatric ethics, Wilderness medicine

Research Focus Area

Bioethics