Medical Center Ethics Committee
Support for Patients, Families, Medical Staff, and Employees
Sometimes making the right decision in the face of serious illness can be complicated. When there is uncertainty or disagreement, the *Ethics Committee can help.
The Ethics Committee is a group of Medical Center staff (physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains and others) and members of the community who are available to help patients, families, doctors, and other healthcare providers when they face difficult ethical decisions.
The Ethics Committee meets free of charge to provide a safe, supportive, confidential forum in which you and others can think through a problem, consider different points of view and sort through options. Every attempt is made to involve key members of the health care team as well as the patient and family, as appropriate, in the process. After discussing the ethical issues at stake, the Ethics Committee offers advice in the form of a non-binding recommendation. It is then up to those involved to decide what to do next.
Before you contact the Ethics Committee, it is recommended that you first speak with those involved in your health care situation, and that you use all available resources in the hospital to try to resolve the problem. Oftentimes, meeting with the patient, family members, physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, patient representative, and other members of the hospital staff can help those involved come to agreement. If what should be done is still unclear, you may contact the Ethics Committee at your campus location.
Contact the Ethics Committee
Summit Campus (Oakland)
To reach the Summit Ethics Committee call the Summit Medical Staff Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or the Nursing Supervisor during the evening and weekend hours. Or you may ask any member of your health care team for help contacting the Summit Ethics Committee.
- Summit Medical Staff Office: (510) 869-6565
- Nursing Supervisor: (510) 655-4000 x2055
- Administrative Coordinator: (510) 869-2055
- Social Work: (510) 869-6546
- Case Management: (510) 869-6577
- Chaplain Services: (510) 869-6784
- Patient Relations: (510) 869-6139
Alta Bates & Herrick Campuses (Berkeley)
Contact the Alta Bates Ethics Committee in Berkeley by calling the Ethics Consultation Pager between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. During evenings and on weekends/holidays, contact the Nursing Supervisor. Or you may ask any member of your health care team to help you contact the Alta Bates Ethics Committee.
- Ethics Consultation Pager: (510) 802-0021
- Nursing Supervisor: (510) 204-3300
- Alta Bates Medical Staff Office: (510) 204-1521
- Social Work and Case Management: (510) 204-2064
- Chaplain Services: (510) 204-6730
- Patient Relations: (510) 204-4689
