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 in Oakland
To reach the Summit Ethics Committee call the Summit Medical Staff Office between the hours of 8 am - 5 pm, 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

Contact the Ethics Committee
Alta Bates & Herrick Campuses in Berkeley
Contact the Alta Bates Ethics Committee in Berkeley by calling the Ethics Consultation Pager between the hours of 9 am – 5 pm, 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

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