Ethics Consultations

Health care is full of difficult decisions. The “right choice” isn’t always obvious at first. Should you get a procedure that could improve your quality of life — even though it’s risky? How do you know what’s best for a sick parent? What happens when family members disagree?

Our ethics professionals are here to guide you through these kinds of challenges. We can’t make the decision for you. But we can give you compassionate advice, so you can make a decision that makes sense for you and your family.

During a consult, patients, families, and providers meet with an ethics professional (or team). The goal is to talk through care options, ease conflicts, and focus on what’s best for the patient.

Topics of discussion include:

• The patient’s current medical treatment
• The available treatment options and the benefits, drawbacks, and risks of each
• The patient’s short-term and long-term health goals
• Each person’s values, goals, hopes, and fears

You may receive recommendations, but we will never tell you or your doctors what to do. The best choice for one family may not be the best choice for another. We are here to help you make decisions that align with your values and best interests.

Corewell Health patients and their family members can ask for an ethics consultation at any time. You may find a consult helpful if you are struggling with any of the following situations:

• You’re having trouble deciding between procedures with different outcomes. For example, do you want to extend your life as long as possible? Or do you want the greatest quality of life during the days you have left?
• You’re the decision-maker for a patient and you aren’t sure about what they would want you to do
• Your family members disagree about what to do
• You disagree with a doctor’s recommendations
• You’re simply overwhelmed and need to talk with someone