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What is the Clinical Ethics Service?

The Clinical Ethics Service (CES) provides education, consultation, research and policy development in clinical ethics. Clinical ethics is a field of study that focuses on decision-making in the health care setting, where patients, families and health professionals often face difficult decisions about medical treatments and patient care. These decisions may involve moral values, religious beliefs, or professional duties and guidelines.

Clinical ethics offers ways to identify and weigh the values at stake so that the individuals responsible for decisions can make good choices. Ethical questions and concerns arise when the right thing to do is not clear, or when disagreement exists about what is best for a patient.

Some examples of ethical questions are:

  • When should life-sustaining treatments such as breathing machines or feeding tubes be started, continued or stopped?
  • Who should make health care decisions for patients when they are unable to communicate or decide for themselves?
  • What should patients do when they do not understand what professionals are saying, or feel they are not offered the opportunity to participate in their own health care decisions?
  • What should family members or health professionals do if a patient refuses treatment that promises to be medically helpful?
The CES includes two faculty members, adjuvant ethicists, trainees in clinical ethics (called "fellows," "interns" and "observers"), and administrative staff.

Chad Slieper, J.D. - photo

Chad F. Slieper, J.D.

 To Be Announced

Main Telephone for Clinical Ethics Service: (713) 792-8775

In addition to conducting education and research related to ethical issues, the CES offers an Ethics Consultation Service to assist patients, families and health professionals in decision-making.
   

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