Healthcare Ethics Committees and Clinical Ethics Consultation

Background and objectives Over the past thirty years Healthcare Ethics Committees (HECs) have been identified, especially in the West, as the main tool to root and support bioethical reflection in Healthcare Institutions. Indeed, under certain conditions, they have proved of great help in (a) increasing the level of perception and analysis of the new healthcare-related ethical issues; (b) integrating different professional expertise and ethical perspectives; (c) promoting a real communication between healthcare institutions and the society at large. The three main functions through which HECs express their potential are: (1) ethical analysis of clinical cases; (2) institutional guidelines’ development; (3) bioethical education. The aim of the first two days of the course is to provide participants with conceptual frames and practical tools to effectively perform the above mentioned three functions. The third day will be devoted to Clinical Ethics Consultation (CEC). In particular, the discussion will focus on the different ways to perform CEC, the theoretical presuppositions of such activity, the way to evaluate it and the specific education needed by clinical ethics consultants. Contents of the course include: a historical overview of the process of institutionalization of HECs; a theoretical justification of the importance of HECs; an introduction into the typical functions of HECs, providing for each of them a conceptual frame, a concrete experience and useful tools; practical suggestions regarding the organisation of a network of HECs and the ways to educate HEC members so that they can offer a service of high quality; a focus on clinical ethics consultation. As to the methods, the course will combine lectures, debates and group works. All course activities and materials will be in English. Our faculty includes: Jochen Vollmann (Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany), Bert Molewijk (VUmc Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Center of Medical Ethics, Oslo, Norway), Bernardo Cortese (University of Padova, Italy), Vincenzo Durante (University of Padova, Italy), Enrico Furlan (University of Padova, Italy), Nereo Zamperetti (Vicenza General Hospital, Italy). The course should be of interest for: healthcare professionals and other professionals who wish to adequately participate in the activities of a HEC; professionals in charge of setting up and managing a new HEC; members of already existing HECs (especially chairs and secretaries) who wish to rejuvenate their committees; professionals who intend to set up a HEC also outside the traditional hospital setting (hospices, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres, etc.).