Ethics Committees and Consultations

In healthcare facilities, ethics committees generally comprise individuals with a mixture of professional skills that volunteer their time to improve overall patient care.  They come with varying skill levels and knowledge of applied ethics. How committee members acquire necessary and consistent education is a common problem. 

Additionally, those who function as ethics consultants who communicate directly with patients, families, and clinical staff must have a greater understanding of ethics and human factors to be practical.  They must have sufficient and ongoing education to broaden their ability to address complex medical situations.

Deficiencies in education in both functions do not serve patients well.  It can also expose an organization to finical risk and jeopardize community reputation. EthAssist® is the solution to both roles in a healthcare faculty. One such example is Sentara Healthcare system which uses EthAssist to deliver an annual set of revolving topics to 200 committee members and consultants. Sentara Healthcare uses EthAssist to ensure those in these roles receive important education to function as knowledgeable contributors as situations arise, providing care to patients while adhering to accreditation guidelines.