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Ethics Committee
Information for Staff, Patients and Families
What is Ethics?
- Ethics help us decide what is good, and right, in the conduct of our lives.
- Medical ethics, or Bioethics can assist with decision making in the fields of medical care and research, and provide guidance as scientific and technological knowledge continues to grow.
- Many health care decisions and practices have an ethical component. These decisions require careful and respectful thought about what is good and right for patients, their families, and members of the health care team.
What is the Ethics Committee?
- The ethics committee is a group of people who serve as a resource for patients and health care providers when ethical decision making becomes a challenge.
- The committee is made up of members of the public, ethicists, doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors, spiritual care givers and lawyers.
What Does the Ethics Committee do?
- The committee offers case consultations which are conducted in a confidential setting and offer assistance and guidance to assist in sound ethical decision making. Final decisions are made by the health care team which includes the patient, and, when appropriate, the family.
- Education about ethics is offered to all members of the staff and the committee is also consulted regarding recommendations for policy development at BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre.
How Can Patients, Families, Health Care Team Members, and BC Women’s Benefit from the Ethics Committee?
The committee offers:
- Assistance when health care team members disagree on treatment options, by helping to examine the positive as well as the negative aspects of all treatment options
- Assistance in making choices about medical care and health care providers
- Assistance with end of life issues
- Education on ethical issues (for example, the ethics of informed consent)
- Researched information or recommendations for policy development
- An ethical consultation resource in all areas related to reproductive health
How can I contact the Ethics Committee?
The Ethics Committee can be reached by calling (604) 875-2424 local 5281 and asking to be put in contact with the Chairperson of the BC Women’s Ethics Committee.
All inquiries and services are confidential and free of charge.
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