Bioethics

The Department of Bioethics at MultiCare brings a diverse group of dedicated clinicians, philosophers, social workers, chaplains and other health care staff together to ensure that ethical decision-making is incorporated into all aspects of patient care at MultiCare.

The department provides clinically, philosophically and morally based services supporting the needs of patients and staff across all of MultiCare. We use ethical principles, philosophical reasoning, medical implications and social expectation to investigate issues related to bioethics and public health.

The department also serves as an educational center across all of MultiCare for issues relating to medical ethics and ethical decision-making, and maintains close ties with local universities and community organizations for continued ethics outreach for the entire Tacoma and South Sound region.

Program Areas

Services the Bioethics department provides include:

• Ethics committee meetings
• Ethics consultations for patients and staff
• Educational programs on biomedical ethics issues
• Policy development and review of ethical Issues

While ethics consultations are most commonly requested regarding care provided in our hospitals, consultations are available system-wide at MultiCare, and any MultiCare clinic/location can request a consult.