Clinical Ethics Consultation Service

One of the most important services that Montefiore Medical Center offers our patients and their family members is help in making difficult healthcare decisions through our Clinical Ethics Consultation Service. A consultation is free and completely confidential.

Issues We Address

“Bioethics” involves the analysis of moral and ethical issues that arise in the healthcare setting. A bioethics consultation offers the advice of experts in sorting out critical dilemmas such as these:

• Who should make decisions for patients who cannot decide for themselves or communicate their wishes?
• What should patients or family members do if they cannot understand what caregivers are saying about the need for certain tests or treatments?
• What should patients do if suggested treatments are in conflict with the beliefs of their religion or culture?
• What should happen when there is strong disagreement or uncertainty about what is best for a patient?
• What should a patient consider in agreeing to or in refusing treatment?
• When should life-prolonging treatments—such as feeding tubes or breathing machines—be started, continued or stopped?

How We Help

The key to making wise decisions at crucial times is deciding what is best for the patient. Simple as that sounds, what is best to do is not always clear. A bioethics consultation is designed to help patients, family members, healthcare proxy agents and caregivers clarify issues and reach those decisions.

Specifically, the patient and/or family members receive support through:

• Confidential access to trained bioethics professionals who counsel and guide the patient and family members through the decision-making process;
• Educational materials that increase the patient/family’s knowledge about healthcare decision-making;
• Help in resolving issues related to advance directives, such as a living will.

Members of Montefiore’s Bioethics Consultation Service include ethicists, physicians, nurses, social workers, patient representatives, clergy, risk managers and hospital legal counsel. Not all members are involved in each consultation. Those that can best advise on a particular issue take part.

How to Request a Consultation

A patient, family member, caregiver or health proxy agent may request a meeting with the Bioethics Consultation Service. All discussions, information and records are protected for privacy. Requests for a consultation will be answered within 24 hours and immediately in the case of emergencies. Contact:

• Moses Division: 718-920-6226
• Weiler Division: 718-904-2299
• North Division: 718-920-4630

© 2008 Montefiore Medical Center