Ethics Consultations Services
Sometimes healthcare decisions can be hard. Patients, families, and healthcare teams may have questions or may not agree on what should happen next. University Hospital’s Ethics Consultation Service can help. We support patients, families, and healthcare professionals when there are difficult questions about care, choices, or patient wishes.
When Can an Ethics Consultation Help?
You may want an ethics consultation when there are questions about:
- Difficult treatment choices
- Starting, continuing, or stopping treatment
- A patient’s wishes, values, or goals
- Patient rights
- Who should make healthcare decisions for a patient
- Advance directives or other written healthcare wishes
- Goals of care
- Disagreements between patients, families, or healthcare teams
- Cultural, spiritual, or religious beliefs that affect care
- New treatments or technology that may raise ethical questions
- Any situation where the right next step is unclear
What Happens During an Ethics Consultation?
The Ethics Consultation Service provides a respectful place to talk about difficult healthcare decisions. The ethics team may:
- Listen to the concerns of the patient, family, and healthcare team
- Help explain the main ethical questions
- Review the patient’s wishes, values, and goals
- Help everyone understand the choices
- Help improve communication
- Help identify areas of agreement and disagreement
- Offer guidance to help with decision-making
The Ethics Consultation Service does not make decisions for the patient or family. The goal is to help everyone understand the situation and make thoughtful decisions that respect the patient’s wishes and needs.
Who Can Request an Ethics Consultation?
An ethics consultation can be requested by:
- Patients
- Family members
- Authorized healthcare decision makers
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Other members of the healthcare team
Patients and families can request an ethics consultation directly. You do not have to wait for a healthcare provider to make the request for you.
Need Help?
Request an Ethics Consultation.
If you have a concern about a difficult healthcare decision or ethical issue call 973-972-1500. When you call, briefly explain your concern so you can be connected with the appropriate team.
Request a Family Meeting
If you would like help arranging a meeting with the healthcare team to discuss a patient’s care call 973-972-6410.
A family meeting can help patients, families, and members of the healthcare team discuss questions, concerns, goals of care, and next steps together.
If you are currently receiving care at University Hospital, you can also ask the below staff members for help requesting an ethics consultation or family meeting:
- Doctor
- Nurse
- Social worker
- Patient representative
- Other member of your healthcare team
Our Commitment to You
University Hospital is committed to respectful, compassionate, and patient-centered care.
We understand that healthcare decisions may involve medical needs, personal beliefs, family concerns, culture, religion, and personal values.
Our Ethics Consultation Service is here to help patients, families, and healthcare teams work through difficult decisions together.