Clinical Ethics Committee

In hospitals, countless decisions are made daily for the benefit of patients.

Due to the increasing capabilities of modern medicine, it can be challenging to determine the most justifiable treatment for patients in borderline cases, taking ethical considerations into account.

To support treatment teams in difficult decision-making processes, the Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC) of the LKH-University Hospital Graz was established in 2006.

The tasks of the CEC include:

Individual case consultation from an ethical perspective

During ethics consultations, led by a moderator, different perspectives on an ethical issue are considered in an effort to reach mutually acceptable decisions. The process involves gathering medical and nursing information, details about the patient’s values, worldview, and social circumstances, in order to formulate a tailored recommendation based on these factors.

Development of guidelines on clinical-ethical issues

These guidelines are not intended to prescribe solutions but to serve as a basis for consultation in individual cases. In the development of these guidelines, societal values, legal frameworks, and the mission statement of our institution play a significant role.

Continuing education and training of staff in ethical matters

Staff awareness should be raised regarding issues and questions that require ethical consideration and action.

Essentially, through the work of the CEC, a long-term improvement of the ethical discourse climate is aimed for, enabling treatment teams to independently make ethically sound decisions.