The Greenwall Foundation is pleased to announce the latest awards under its Bridging Bioethics Research & Policymaking initiative: three projects that seek to bridge the divide between bioethics research results and policymaking.
Rapid developments in healthcare, science, and technology raise exciting possibilities to advance our health and well-being, but also raise complex ethical dilemmas. Strengthening the relationship between bioethics and policy can help decision-makers navigate conflicting points of view and find the best way forward. Each of the funded projects listed below have proposed a unique approach to effect policy change.
Bioethical Evaluation in Long-Term Care Design: From Framework to Federal Practice
Diana Anderson, MD (Boston University)
Abstract: This project aims to improve the design of long-term care facilities by recognizing architecture as an important factor in health and well-being. The research team has developed a bioethics-based evaluation tool that assesses whether built environments support dignity, safety, independence, social connection, and quality of life for older adults. Building on research findings, the project will work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to integrate ethical design considerations into long-term care planning and standards. The goal is to create healthier, more person-centered environments for older adults while providing a model that can be adapted across the broader healthcare system.
From Ethical Consensus to State Policy: Translating the Duty to Assure Access to Palliative Care
Amber Comer, PhD, JD (Indiana University)
Abstract: Whether a patient receives palliative care—specialized care that improves quality of life during serious illness—should not depend on the state where they live. Yet it does. The medical profession, nationally and internationally, has recognized that physicians have an ethical duty to assure palliative care for patients who need it. But ethical commitments alone do not change healthcare; they must be translated into policy, and no roadmap exists to help states do so. This project aims to build that roadmap with national leaders: a framework and toolkit helping policymakers translate this ethical duty into state policies improving access to palliative care.
From Moral Injury to Policy: Translating Bioethics Research on Nursing Workforce into State Policy
Kumhee Ro, DNP (Seattle University)
Abstract: Washington State faces a critical nursing workforce crisis driven not only by burnout but also by moral injury, the ethical harm that occurs when systemic barriers prevent nurses from providing care consistent with their professional values. Although bioethics research has documented the causes and consequences of moral injury, this evidence has had little influence on state workforce policy. This project will seek to translate moral injury research into actionable policy tools through a statewide policy brief and legislative staff briefing delivered through the Washington Center for Nursing's established partnerships with policymakers, regulators, and professional organizations to inform workforce policy solutions.
The Bridging Bioethics Research & Policymaking initiative was launched in 2022 to support innovative and practical integration of bioethics into policy. The Foundation will announce future Requests for Proposals via its newsletter, social media, and website.
