Ethics in healthcare
Creating a culture of doing what’s right for patients and their families.
Because everyone has their own views, values and religious beliefs, our patients and their families may have questions or concerns about certain recommendations for their treatment and care.
The patient may need more information about their options for diagnosing and treating their illness. Patients, their family members (as well as surrogate decision makers), or members of the healthcare team may even disagree on the best path forward.
That’s where Geisinger's Ethics Advice and Consultation Service comes in. Our team has specialized training to help patients and their family members understand their options and resolve concerns or conflicts about their care.
Geisinger's Clinical Ethics Advice and Consultation Service
When questions, concerns or conflicts arise, we’re here to offer guidance and support.
What is the Clinical Ethics Advice and Consultation Service?
The Clinical Ethics Advice and Consultation Service is staffed by professionals with specialized education and training in clinical ethics and in conflict mediation and resolution.
The Service supports patients, their families (as well as surrogate decision makers) and their healthcare teams whenever difficult ethical questions or concerns arise or when better communication — within families or between clinicians and patients and their families — would be helpful.
This support can be offered via informal advice on a confidential basis or through more formal interventions, including facilitated meetings that bring together patients, their families and their clinicians.
No matter what, we’re here to advise and help, but never to replace decision-making by patients, families and their clinicians.
When is it available?
We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Who can contact us and how?
Anyone — a patient, family member or friend, surrogate decision maker, nurse, social worker, physician or any employee—involved in the care of a patient can seek and get help from the Clinical Ethics Advice and Consultation Service.
If you are a patient or family member or an employee without access to TigerConnect, you can request a consultation by contacting the Clinical Ethics Advice and Consultation Service at 570-214-2400. If you are an employee with access to TigerConnect, you can search for the ethicist on call and request a consultation via text message.
Physicians or advance practitioners at any Geisinger hospital can also order a clinical ethics consultation through Epic.