Excellence in patient care requires not only technical expertise and compassion, but also a thoughtful consideration of the ethical dimensions of health care delivery. This is critical because medicine is first and foremost a moral enterprise based on human values. A heightened awareness of the diverse dimensions of the ethical aspects of health care can help hospitals and caregivers respond to patients' needs more effectively, as well as clarify the complex issues inherent in the rapidly changing health care environment.
The Barnes-Jewish Hospital ethics consultation team provides guidance on challenging issues such as those related to end-of-life care, the application of advanced directives and surrogate decision making. Consultations may be requested by family members of the patient or by any individual involved in the patient's care.
To request a medical ethics consultation, call the Barnes-Jewish Hospital nursing office at 314-362-5122. A representative of the ethics consultation team will then contact you.
More information about advanced directives.
Ethics Committee
The role of medical ethics consultation is to provide a forum for the discussion of patient-related ethical issues. Such consultations may be requested by any of the patient's health care providers, by the patient or by the patient's family.
The ethics committee consists of representatives from many patient care and service areas throughout the hospital as well as members of the local community. Its mission is to further the delivery of excellent health care. The ethics committee strives to accomplish this mission by:
- educating members of the medical center, the community and themselves about bioethical issues
- providing medical ethics case consultations regarding a specific patient's care
- providing advice on the ethical dimensions of existing hospital policies or proposing new bioethics policies to the Medical Executive Committee