Conflicts and Ethics Disputes

Family members, patients, and the care team may have a difference of opinion regarding the goals of care. We encourage patients and families to have an open dialogue with the care team members by requesting a patient and family conference to attempt to reach agreement on the goals of care.

For circumstances in which a patient/family care conference fails to resolve a complex ethical issue, the hospital provides the services of an ethics committee, which can create a mechanism for conflict resolution through communication and shared decision making. A family member or patient representative can access the bioethics consultation service by dialing 201-894-3199.