At Barnes-Jewish Hospital, exceptional patient care requires not only medical expertise and compassion, but also thoughtful consideration of the ethical issues that can arise in health care.
The Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s Ethics Committee provides guidance on challenging issues such as those related to end-of-life care; following an advance directive, living will, or durable power of attorney; or helping name a surrogate decision maker. The Ethics Committee consists of doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, lawyers, social workers, chaplains, staff from many patient care and service areas throughout the hospital, and community volunteers.
To request a medical ethics consultation, call the Barnes-Jewish Hospital nursing office at 314-362-5122. An Ethics Committee representative will then contact you. You may also request a consult anonymously.
Who can ask for an ethics consultation?
- Patients
- Immediate family members
- Physicians and other members of the medical team
When should you request a consultation?
Sometimes patients, families, and health care professionals face complex medical situations where there is no single clear answer. Questions may arise about treatment options, goals of care, quality of life, or differing perspectives on the best path forward.
If you have concerns, questions, or uncertainty about your care or a loved one's care, we encourage open discussion among the patient, family members, and members of the care team. When those conversations are challenging, or when people have different views about how to proceed, the Ethics Committee may be able to help facilitate discussion and support thoughtful decision-making.
What does the Ethics Committee do?
- Provides an ethical perspective on medical decision-making.
- Helps patients, families, and medical teams understand and make choices when the best option for a patient isn’t clear.
- Works with everyone to help come to an agreement about what is best for the patient.
- Keeps all discussions confidential.
What kinds of challenges does the Ethics Committee discuss?
- Treatment decisions with limited expected benefit
- Balancing the benefits and burdens of treatment
- Decisions about starting, continuing, or stopping treatment
- Aligning care decisions with a patient's goals, values, and preferences
What doesn't the Ethics Committee do?
- Make decisions or direct a patient's care. It may offer recommendations and guidance, but decisions about treatment remain the responsibility of the patient, family, and care team.
- Answer questions about hospital policy
- Handle complaints
- Evaluate professional behavior