Consortium Ethics Program

 

About the CEP

The Consortium Ethics Program (CEP) is the regional health care ethics network in Western Pennsylvania. This premier network educates nurses, physicians, social workers and others from participating health care institutions in the language, methods and literature of health care ethics. These staff members, known as CEP representatives, become on-site resource personnel who receive direct support from the CEP to meet the ethics needs of their institutions. Member institutions form a network, which is instrumental in sharing ethics resources and experiences in a cost-effective manner. Because of the collaborative and cooperative nature of the CEP, membership crosses all lines of affiliation in the ever-changing health care environment.

 

History of the CEP

The CEP began as a pilot program for 12 acute-care hospitals in 1990 with a generous grant from the Vira I. Heinz Endowment. Since 1996, it has been self-sufficient, supported by member institutions and co-sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Bioethics and Health Law.  Current membership consists of 26 institutions, including acute-care, rehabilitation, long-term and home-care, and the area’s largest health plans—Highmark, Inc. and UPMC Health Plan. For nearly 20 years, the CEP has provided high quality ethics education and kept up-to-date on the continually evolving field of health care ethics.

 

Goals of the CEP

The CEP provides a cost-effective approach to assisting health care professionals, their institutions and the local health care community in developing and sustaining awareness and expertise in clinical health care ethics. This awareness and expertise ensures that present and emerging ethics needs are met.

The CEP carries out these goals by:

• Educating a minimum of two representatives from each paticipating institution to become ethics resource persons.

Assisting representatives in designing and implementing an “ethics plan” to meet the needs of their institutions.

• Continuing to develop new methods to guide institutions as they address their long-term needs in health care ethics. 

Experience has shown that as these goals are met, institutions are able to:

Assist neighboring facilities to cooperatively address ethical issues that arise in the transfer of patients along a continuum of care.

• Address relevant Joint Commission standards, federal requirements, such as the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the Patient Self-Determination Act, and other standards in the field of health care ethics.

Form, develop or revitalize ethics committees, consultation services or other appropriate mechanisms for conflict resolution.

 

 

CEP Faculty

 

CEP In the News

"Facing Conflict with mediation Skills in Health Care"

Western Pennsylvania Hosptial News

August 2011

"Highmark Inc. and Consortium Ethics Program Partner to Integrate Ethics Education for Highmark Case and Care Managers"

July 2011

"Is You Ethics Committee Ready for the 'Next Generation?'"

Western Pennsylvania Hospital News
May 2010

"Consortium Ethics Program: Educating Leaders in Health Care"

Western Pennsylvania Hospital News, September 2009

“Consortium Ethics Program: A Jumpstart to Clinical Ethics Education”

Western Pennsylvania Hospital News, August 2009

"Consortium Ethics Program Directed at Serious Business”

Western Pennsylvania Hospital News, April 2009

 
 
Robert Arnold, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Randy Hebert, MD
WPAHS Forbes Hospice
David Barnard, PhD, JD
University of Pittsburgh
Aviva Katz, MD
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Judith Black, MD, MHA
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Margaret Kimmel, PhD

University of Pittsburgh

Bruce Bryce, D.Min
Family Hospice
David Korman, JD
University of Pittsburgh
Elizabeth Chaitin, DHCE
UPMC Shadyside
Martha Mannix, JD
University of Pittsburgh

Ellen DeBenedetti, MEd

Pittsburgh Mediation Center

Cynthia McCarthy, DHCE
University of Pittsburgh
Mary Therese Connors, DHCE
Duquesne University
David Orenstein, MD
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Maryanne Fello, RN, BSN, M.Ed.
WPAHS Forbes Hospice
Rosa Lynn Pinkus, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
Gary Fischer, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Valerie Satkoske, MSW, PhD
University of Pittsburgh

Lucy Fischer, PhD

University of Pittsburgh

Stella Smetanka, JD

University of Pittsburgh

Janet Grover, DHCE(c)
Mt. Aloysius College

Denise Stahl, RN, MSN, BC-PCM
VA VISN 4
Daniel Hall, MD, MDiv, MHSc
UPMC Presbyterian
Alan Steinberg, JD
Horty, Springer & Mattern, PC
Mary Beth Happ, PhD
University of Pittsburgh

Jyotsna Vasudev, PhD

Heritage Valley Health System

Rhonda Gay Hartman, JD
Duquesne University Law School
Mark Wicclair, PhD
University of Pittsburgh
   
Click here to learn about the benefits of membership and how to become a part of the CEP!
   

© 2009 Consortium Ethics Program. No portion may be reproduced without permission.

Last updated: September 22, 2011