Ethics Committee

• The Ethics Committee is available in cases involving individuals with life-threatening conditions.


• Requests can be made by a:


• Patient/Attorney/Guardian/Family member


• Physician/Registered Nurse


• Social Worker


• Board consists of:


• Physician*, Registered Nurse*, Social Worker, Hospital Administrator (*not involved in case)


• Board consults (when appropriate)


• Patient's Treatment Team


• Patient/Family


• The committee is advisory in nature, unless there is a disagreement on the course of treatment between individuals with equal decision-making responsibility.


• "After consideration of the issue causing the disagreement, the Committee shall make a recommendation and the patient's physician may act in accordance with the recommendation or transfer the patient to another health-care provider. Pending the transfer, the physician shall comply with the instructions of the surrogate, if the failure to comply would likely result in the death of the patient."
• The procedure for convening the committee on an ad hoc basis is handled by Outcomes Management at 301-896-3030.