Welcome to the Ethics Consult Service at the Georgetown
University Medical Center. Below are frequently asked questions and an
overview of what our program offers.
What is an "ethics consult"?
Making decisions amid all the complexities of modern
medicine is not easy. Ethical questions can arise, for instance, when a patient
has lost the capacity to make decisions, when it is not clear whether the
burdens of a treatment are worth the expected benefits, or when values appear to
conflict. The ethics consult is an advisory service that is designed to assist
patients, families, and all health care professionals in identifying, analyzing,
and resolving ethical dilemmas.
What happens in an ethics consult?
A clinical ethicist will review each request to see if a full consult is
warranted. Sometimes, the concern may only be a communication problem. A full
consult will generally involve a meeting of several ethicists, the health care
team, the patient, and/or the patient's family as appropriate. The consultants
do not judge the quality of patient care or make decisions. They help to
facilitate a discussion and clarify the ethical issues in making an important
decision.
How does one request a
consult?
The ethics
consult can be initiated by calling the page operator at Georgetown University:
202-687-7243 and request the "ethics consult service"
which is on-call 24 hours a day. For further information, or if a problem
is encountered, please call: 202-687-1122.
Who can request a consult?
Doctors, patients, nurses, chaplains, social workers, or
anyone involved in the case.
The Center for Clinical Bioethics
The Center for Clinical Bioethics,
on behalf of the Georgetown University Hospital Ethics Committee, conducts this
clinical service to assist staff, patients and families. The center faculty
have training and experience in both patient care and in ethics. They work
closely with the whole hospital staff, including the departments of Pastoral
Care and Social Work, and conducts ethics consults from a
team approach.
Request for an Ethics Consult may be made to the Center
for Clinical Bioethics at any time by calling the numbers listed on this
website. No fees are charged for this service and all consultants are kept
strictly confidential.
Clinical Ethics Consultants
Robert Barnet, M.D.
William Blazek, S.J., M.D.
James Duffy, S.J., M.D.
Kevin FitzGerald, S.J., Ph.D.
James Giordano, Ph.D.
John Collins Harvey, M.D., Ph.D.
Ann Neale, Ph.D.
Kathleen Neill, R.N., Ph.D.
Edmund Pellegrino, M.D.
Siva Subramanian, M.D.
Carol Taylor, R.N., Ph.D.
