Clinical Ethics Service

Introduction to Health Ethics

An organized Ethics Service has existed within the Calgary area, Alberta Health Services since July 2002.

Health Ethics, or Bioethics, has been an increasingly important part of health care over the past 30 to 40 years. Ethics may be defined as a set of principles of right conduct. Another definition used by some is that ethics is a theory or system of moral values. Bioethics combines centuries of philosophical debate and utilizes these principles to bring some clarity to an increasingly complex health care system. Health care has become increasingly complex, in large part because of the introduction of new medical technology, which allows choices which were not possible in past centuries. Ethics helps us deal with moral dilemmas and helps us to understand the benefits, drawbacks, and implications of the positions we take and the commitments that arise by taking these different positions.

Ethics has been applied to many areas of society in addition to the health care system. Ethics has been applied to politics, to the world of business, to our treatment of the environment, and even our everyday relationships with each other.

Bioethics first became important within the medical field in terms of research. Currently all research projects which involve human subjects must be submitted to a Research Ethics Board to ensure that the rights of individuals are respected. Clinical uses of Bioethics within the health system focus on case review or clinical consultation. Administrative uses of Bioethics involve the ethical review of policies, clinical guidelines and resource allocation decisions.

Clinical Ethics Services within the Calgary area, Alberta Health Services is organized around local ethics committees. Local committees have been formed in all major healthcare sites such as hospitals and in all major programs outside of hospitals such as the Home Care Program. Long-term care facilities also are well represented by local committees. Site-based Ethics Committees are visible and readily available and are therefore an effective means of ensuring that ethics services are available to the thousands of healthcare workers and countless patients and families affected by the health system.

Major services offered by local site-based ethics committees include:

Education of healthcare professionals, patients and families
Clinical consultation in complex values-based clinical situations
Policy review which allows ethical input into the determination of new policy

Access to Clinical Ethics Services

Any employee or participant in the healthcare system has the right to request ethics services. This web site provides a list of contact persons for all areas and programs of the Calgary area, Alberta Health Services. If you believe you may benefit from ethics services in any way, you are encouraged to initiate a conversation with a contact person listed.




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Clinical Ethics Service Home Introduction to Health Ethics Regional Service Site Committees Protocols Forms Events Ethics Corner Publications / Presentations Resources Contact Us	Clinical Ethics Service Introduction to Health Ethics An organized Ethics Service has existed within the Calgary area, Alberta Health Services since July 2002. Health Ethics, or Bioethics, has been an increasingly important part of health care over the past 30 to 40 years. Ethics may be defined as a set of principles of right conduct. Another definition used by some is that ethics is a theory or system of moral values. Bioethics combines centuries of philosophical debate and utilizes these principles to bring some clarity to an increasingly complex health care system. Health care has become increasingly complex, in large part because of the introduction of new medical technology, which allows choices which were not possible in past centuries. Ethics helps us deal with moral dilemmas and helps us to understand the benefits, drawbacks, and implications of the positions we take and the commitments that arise by taking these different positions. Ethics has been applied to many areas of society in addition to the health care system. Ethics has been applied to politics, to the world of business, to our treatment of the environment, and even our everyday relationships with each other. Bioethics first became important within the medical field in terms of research. Currently all research projects which involve human subjects must be submitted to a Research Ethics Board to ensure that the rights of individuals are respected. Clinical uses of Bioethics within the health system focus on case review or clinical consultation. Administrative uses of Bioethics involve the ethical review of policies, clinical guidelines and resource allocation decisions. Clinical Ethics Services within the Calgary area, Alberta Health Services is organized around local ethics committees. Local committees have been formed in all major healthcare sites such as hospitals and in all major programs outside of hospitals such as the Home Care Program. Long-term care facilities also are well represented by local committees. Site-based Ethics Committees are visible and readily available and are therefore an effective means of ensuring that ethics services are available to the thousands of healthcare workers and countless patients and families affected by the health system. Major services offered by local site-based ethics committees include: Education of healthcare professionals, patients and families Clinical consultation in complex values-based clinical situations Policy review which allows ethical input into the determination of new policy Access to Clinical Ethics Services Any employee or participant in the healthcare system has the right to request ethics services. This web site provides a list of contact persons for all areas and programs of the Calgary area, Alberta Health Services. If you believe you may benefit from ethics services in any way, you are encouraged to initiate a conversation with a contact person listed.
	E-mail comments to Regional Clinical Ethics Service Webmaster. Page last updated on: January 21, 2010