The Ethics Committee at the Patient's Bedside (ECatPB): a retrospective view on the past two years

The Ethics Committee at the Patient's Bedside (ECatPB) was established at Beilinson Hospital and began its activity a few years ago. A retrospective viewpoint will enable us to reflect on moral dilemmas and ethical conflicts as sources of professionals' moral distress. The activities of the ECatPB will be reviewed through sample cases and in the light of the promotion of optimal treatment. Five dominant contributions of the ECatPB will be discussed: prevention of moral distress; positioning the committee as an integral and inseparable component of the medical institution's daily life; cultivating the advisory, rather than punitive, character of the committee; maintaining constant ethics dialogues with patients, caregivers and professionals; and communications with guardians in light of informed consent or informed refusal. The summary ofthis paper will include conclusions, recommendations and personal notes.