Ethics

The Ethics Committee provides consultation, education resources, and support to staff in the resolution of ethical/moral issues and concerns resulting in personal distress. Examples of ethical and moral issues include conflict regarding treatment choices, end-of-life care dilemmas, capacity, consent, inability to return home, resuscitation, and nutritional support.

The purpose of an ethics consultation is to support healthcare team members in making morally appropriate, inclusive, and timely decisions in the best interest of the patients.

The Ethical Decision-Making Framework is a tool to support individual staff and healthcare teams to work through an ethical issue. The Framework introduces a shared systematic process, facilitating effective communication, developing a shared language and building a common understanding of how to approach difficult ethical issues.

View the SMH Ethics Framework Guide

We believe in delivering patient-centered care with integrity, compassion, and respect. Every decision we make is rooted in the fundamental principle of prioritizing the well-being and rights of our patients. This includes honoring their autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality at all times.

As a leading healthcare institution, we are dedicated to advancing medical knowledge through ethical research. Our research practices adhere to the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and protection of human subjects. We prioritize the welfare and rights of research participants and ensure that all studies are conducted with rigorous ethical oversight.

Our team members uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and integrity. We are committed to maintaining a culture of respect, fairness, and accountability in all our interactions. Our staff members receive ongoing training on ethical guidelines and are expected to uphold the ethical code of conduct in their roles.

We are dedicated to transparency and accountability in all our operations. We maintain open communication with our patients, staff, and the community, providing clear and honest information about our services, practices, and performance. We welcome feedback and are committed to addressing concerns with honesty and accountability.

Stevenson Memorial Hospital actively engages with the community to understand its unique needs and to collaborate on initiatives that promote ethical healthcare practices. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strive to ensure that our services are accessible and culturally sensitive to all individuals.

We recognize that maintaining ethical standards is an ongoing process, and we are dedicated to continuous improvement. We regularly review and update our policies and practices to align with the latest ethical guidelines and best practices in healthcare.

At Stevenson Memorial Hospital, we are honored to have earned the trust of our community, and we are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in everything we do. If you have any questions or concerns about ethics at our hospital, we encourage you to reach out to our team.

Thank you for choosing Stevenson Memorial Hospital for your healthcare needs. We are dedicated to providing exceptional care guided by unwavering ethical principles.