Clinical Ethics Consultation Service (CECS)

Patients, families, and health care practitioners sometimes face ethically difficult, confusing, or conflicting choices. When this happens, they may not be sure how to make the “best” or “right” choice. The Clinical Ethics Consultation Service (CECS) assists with navigating these challenging situations. 

What is an Ethics Consultation?

An ethics consultation facilitates discussion, analysis, and understanding of ethical issues involved in patient care. Consultants provide ethically appropriate recommendations when conflicting individual, professional, organizational, and social values lead to ethical uncertainty in patient care.

A free service provided for patients, families, and health care professionals in identifying, analyzing, and resolving ethical dilemmas. 

Examples of when an ethics consult may be needed:

  • Someone is unsure how to make decisions for a patient when the patient can no longer communicate their wishes.
  • There is disagreement about defining the patient's best interest, values, or their preferences. 
  • There is uncertainty about whether the benefits of a proposed treatment are proportional to the burdens.

Who May Request an Ethics Consultation?

A  Clinical Ethics Consult may be requested by anyone: patient, families/loved ones, or any health-care practitioner or administrator.

All conversations are confidential and provided at no cost to the patient or department. 


Requesting a Clinical Ethics Consultation

EPIC Ethics Consult Order
Page: (409) 643-9650
Call: (409) 747-1230 (Business Hours)

email: ethics@utmb.edu

You can also access the schedule on Amcom-Smart Web HERE

Mailing Address
Ethics Consulting Service
UTMB Health
301 University Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77555-1150

Ethics Consultant Team

Jeff S. Farroni, PhD, JD
Jeff S. Farroni, PhD, JD
Director, Institutional Ethics Program
jsfarron@utmb.edu

 

Emma Tumilty, PhD
Assistant Professor
emtumilt@utmb.edu

 

Callie Terris, JD, MS
Clinical Ethics Fellow
ckterris@utmb.edu

 

Marcy Sifuentes
Marisela Sifuentes
Program Manager
msifuent@utmb.edu