Ethics

Code of Medical Ethics:, World Medical Association, 1949The Division of Medical Humanities, Health Law, and Ethics serves as a resource to the University of Connecticut Health Center community when health care providers or patients face difficult ethical issues concerning medical treatments. Faculty in the division teach courses on ethics and bioethics in the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine and the Graduate School at the University of Connecticut. In addition, they conduct research on the legal and ethical problems associated with health policy issues and serve as consultants and experts on bioethical issues for affiliated community organizations.

Ethics Committee

History and Purpose

The UCHC Ethics Committee was formed in 1984 as one of a number of medical staff committees that report to the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Medical Director and Chief of Staff. The Committee is an advisory group which may be called upon when health care providers or patients face difficult ethical issues concerning medical treatments. The Committee functions primarily in three areas: education, policy review and case consultation. It can be used to facilitate communication and as a neutral third party to address areas of concern.

Composition

The UCHC Ethics Committee is a multidisciplinary group comprised of approximately 18 individuals from various health care and policy backgrounds, as well as community representatives. Since inception, the committee has been chaired by a member of the Division of Medical Humanities, Health Law, and Ethics and receives financial and administrative support through the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care.

Education

The Committee arranges for the ongoing education of its members including current and emerging ethical issues and serves as an educational resource to the UCHC faculty and staff as well as to the community. The UCHC Ethics Committee is available for short presentations about the varied ethical issues confronting health care professionals today. It meets periodically for educational purposes or case review with the Infant Care Review Committee.

Policy Review

The Committee serves as an institutional resource for the development and review of institutional policies related to bioethical issues and issues of organizational ethics.

Case Consultation

The Committee serves strictly as an advisory group attempting to bring individuals together to communicate about difficult issues, and to provide a framework premised on fundamental ethical principles in an attempt to facilitate appropriate management. Ultimately, decisions about the case are made by the parties involved. The primary value of an Ethics Committee case consultation is often in the process of identifying and providing an objective forum for analyzing the relevant issues.

When faced with a dilemma involving ethical issues in a patient’s care, the Committee’s chairperson or designee is contacted. Urgent meetings of members of the Committee normally can be arranged when clinical situations demand them.

At the meeting, the Committee brings together members of the health care team and other involved parties, when appropriate, to describe the particular circumstances of the case. The Committee together with the above group:

Confidentiality

The Committee maintains strict patient and physician confidentiality in all case reviews.

How Staff Can Contact the UCHC Ethics Committee

Call Zita Lazzarini, J.D., M.P.H., Chairperson, UCHC Ethics Committee, Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Suite 260, The Exchange, phone (860) 679-5494. If the chairperson is not available, call the Ethics Committee administrative assistant at (860) 679-5495 or 679-5481 and she will contact appropriate Ethics Committee members.

On nights or weekends, staff can contact the nursing administrative manager on duty and the manager will contact the UCHC telephone operator who will in turn call the chair or her designee.

If a patient or family wants to access the UCHC Ethics Committee, encourage them to contact the patient’s assigned social worker or the hospital chaplain, as appropriate. These individuals are designated as liaisons to the chairperson or her designee.

Courses

In addition to the components of the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine's core curriculum, faculty from the division teach three courses in medical ethics. The first two are primarily for public health students, dual degree law students (JD/MPH) or dual degree medical students (MD/MPH) enrolled in the MPH program in the Graduate School while the later is for medical students in the School of Medicine.

Health Care Law & Ethics (PUBH 461)
An analysis and evaluation of the legal rights of patients and providers in the health care process. Specific topics may include: nature of rights, consent to treatment, contraception, abortion, sterilization, involuntary commitment and allocation of limited medical resources. 3 credits. Nancy Williams, R.N., J.D., LL.M. and Barbara Blechner, J.D., M.Ed. (Fall alternate years).

Mental Health Law & Ethics
Course in development and scheduled to be offered in the Spring 2005. 3 credits. David Mack, JD, MPH. (Spring alternate years).

Medical Ethics Elective
An elective offered to first or second year medical students on medical ethics. Students will discuss the ways in which clinical ethics and an ethics committee can help health care providers to identify issues; organize information about these ethical decisions, and understand justifications for action. 5 credits. Barbara Blechner, M.Ed., J.D., Nancy Adams, MD and Zita Lazzarini, JD, MPH.