Ethics Review Committee

Supporting Thoughtful Care Decisions

When you’re receiving treatment for a serious illness or comfort care for a life-limiting illness, the decisions that are made should be yours. Advanced Care Planning helps ensure your voice is heard by allowing you to document your preferences in advance. If you do not have an advance directive that clearly states your specific wishes, and can not make your own choices due to the nature of your illness, others will have to make the decision for you. As a result, your medical team and family may face ethical challenges caused by differences in religious values, personal wishes, or disagreements among family members.

When these types of conflicts arise, we can offer you the guidance of our Ethics Committee—a group of employees and community members led by an Ethicist—that help patients, families and care teams navigate these often difficult situations. Some examples are when family members disagree on the plan of care for their loved one or when the caregiver’s beliefs don’t align with those of the patient or the rest of the family.

During these instances, the Ethics Committee can:

• Help resolve conflict
• Clarify decision-making
• Help ensure that decisions are consistent with health care law and our professional organizations’ standards.
• Support families and patients
• Offer staff support