Health care ethics & decisions

At Kaiser Permanente, patients play an essential role in making decisions about their care.  That’s why the Bioethics Program in our Woodland Hills Service Area works with both members and staff to promote a successful shared decision-making process.

Our Bioethics Program works with patients, their families and loved ones, and the health care team when ethical questions, conflicts, or uncertainty arise.  We also provide training and education to our staff and the community to help them better understand bioethical issues.

Bioethics Program Resources

Clinical Ethics Consultation Service

The Clinical Ethics Consultation Service helps patients, their families and friends, and health care providers come together to discuss challenging medical choices in a confidential manner. While we encourage patients to talk to their doctors and other members of their health care team first, the Bioethics Director, Bioethics Co-chair, or another individual experienced in clinical ethics is available to help when there are unresolved questions or concerns.

People have personal values and beliefs that shape their choices about medical decision making. We can help to consider what choice is best for you, and how to go about acting on that choice.

Our clinical ethics consultation service can help you to:

• Improve communication between patients, families, and the health care team to ensure all voices are heard, understood, and respected.
• Identify and make clear the values and beliefs of all involved.
• Facilitate understanding of the ethical dimensions of available options.

To request a consultation:

To request a Bioethics Consultation you may contact the Bioethics Director or Consultant through the Medical Center Operator or ask a member of your health care team.

By Pager: 818-250-1898

Bioethics Committee

The Bioethics Committee is co-chaired by a clinical ethicist and a physician.  In order to ensure a variety of viewpoints, committee members come from many professions and backgrounds, including physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers, staff members, and volunteers from the community.

The Bioethics Committee:

• Reviews cases to make sure we are providing ethically appropriate care that is consistent with our policies and standards.
• Works to sustain an ethical environment of care at Kaiser Permanente.
• Educates both our patients and our health care team about the ethical aspects of medical care.

Advance Care Planning/Life Care Planning

Life Care Planning is Kaiser Permanente’s name for a process more commonly known as advance care planning.  The Life Care Planning program supports and encourages members to:

• Think about and clarify values and beliefs that guide choices about medical treatment, including choices about when to use medical technology, when to continue or forego medical treatment, quality of life, and end-of-life care.
• Communicate your values and beliefs with family and those who may be involved in medical decision making.
• Select someone you trust to make your health care decisions if you are unable to do so yourself.
• Complete your Advance Directive.

Kaiser Permanente offers workshops to help members successfully navigate the Life Care Planning process.

• To register for a class, speak with your physician or contact the Center for Healthy Living at 818-719-4305.
• You can also find a list of available classes in your area at:

Center for Healthy Living Life Care Planning

• Additional Online resources and information are available at:

Kaiser Permanente Life Care Planning Information

Contact Information

We encourage you to call with your questions about health care decisions and ethics.

Medical Bioethics Director:  Theresa Drought, PhD, RN
Office: 818-719-4790

Bioethics Committee Physician Co-Chair:  Irina Lattanzi, MD

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Hospital Visitation Policy

Patient’s rights to have visitors will be respected unless visitation restrictions are necessary for the safety and well-being of the patient.

Visitors will be monitored in order to provide a safe, healing environment for the patient.

Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills adopts the following definition of “family” for purposes of hospital-wide visitation policy: “Family” means any person(s) who plays a significant role in an individual’s life.

This may include a person(s) not legally related to the individual. Members of “family” include spouses, domestic partners, and both different-sex and same-sex significant others. “Family” includes a minor patient’s parents, regardless of the gender of either parent. Solely for purposes of visitation policy, the concept of parenthood is to be liberally construed without limitation as encompassing legal parents, foster parents, same-sex parent, step-parents, those serving in loco parentis, and other persons operating in caretaker roles.

Purpose

To provide guidelines for visitation, to assure and maintain healing and safe environment in the hospital setting.

Procedure

The visiting hours have been established as follows:

ICU/CCU

• Visitation is open 24 hours a day.
• Visiting of children 12 years of age and under will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Medical/Surgical/Telemetry/High Acuity

• Visitation is open 24 hours and may be adjusted depending on patient care needs and environment.
• To promote therapeutic rest and healing, quiet time will be observed between the hours of 10pm and 8am.
• Children 12 years of age and under must be accompanied by an adult.
• A maximum of two visitors per patient at one time in a double occupancy room.

Patients requiring around the clock assistance

• Family members/significant other/private caregivers are encouraged to stay with patient 24 hours a day.
• Maximum of two visitors are permitted at one time.
• Visitors are to check at nursing station before going into the room.
• Children 12 years of age and under may not visit.

Special Care Nursery / NICU

• Visitors are limited to a maximum of 4 visitors per patient, one of which is the parent.
• Parents may visit 24 hours a day.
• Siblings over the age of two may visit within the Special Care Nursery.  Siblings must remain at the parent’s side at all times when visiting.
• Unsupervised children are not permitted in the hallway.  Parents and grandparents (with the parent’s permission) will have unlimited 24 hours visiting privileges, with the exception of unexpected medical emergencies within the specific unit.
• Parents will be asked to provide the complete names of grandparents who can visit and the nurse will document these names on the approved visitor list for Minor Patient Form.  When grandparents visit without parents, the nurse will check the name(s) of the grandparent(s) allowed to visit against a photo identification provided by the grandparent(s).  Those grandparent(s) who cannot provide photo identification will not be allowed to visit.
• Other friends and family members over the age of 12 may visit when ACCOMPANIED by the parent.
• All visitors including parents exhibiting any signs of illness will not be allowed into the Special Care Nursery.

Pediatric Services

• Parents may visit 24 hours a day.
• Siblings may visit accompanied by an adult. Only siblings 18 years and older can stay with pediatric patient without accompanied adult.
• A maximum of two visitors per patient at one time for a double occupancy room.

Perinatal Services

• Designated family member may visit 24 hours a day.
• Other visitors:  8am to 2pm and 4pm to 10pm (3 North)
• Quiet time will be observed for bonding and breastfeeding 2pm to 4pm.
• Siblings may visit accompanied by an adult.  Other children must be 12 years or older to visit.
• A maximum of two visitors per patient at one time for a double occupancy room.

Pre and Post Anesthesia Care Unit

• Family members, maximum two at a time, will be allowed to remain with the patient in the Surgical Holding Area.
• The presence of parents for Pediatric patients in the Surgical Holding Area and a parent in the Recovery Room will be allowed whenever possible.
• Family member shall be permitted in the PACU I area except whenever possible.
• Family member is permitted to stay with the patient in PACU II area.

Emergency Department

• Visitors permitted in the ED are at the discretion of the Registered Nurse (RN).
• No more than 2 visitors per patient at any given time (some flexibility may be necessary based on patients’/family needs).
• Visitors shall be requested to leave the room during patient evaluation/examination.
• Parent or guardian shall accompany pediatric patients.

Visiting hours and policy may be adjusted depending on patient care needs and environment.

Patient request for no visitors or selected visitors only, shall be honored by the staff.

Family members caring for the patient may stay 24h/day.

MedicalCenter Infection Prevention Policy may restrict traffic or visitors for epidemic control when deemed necessary, or on the advice of the Public Health Agency.

Children 12 year of age and younger are not permitted into isolation room.

Patients with suspected or diagnosed infections/communicable diseases will be placed on appropriate isolations precautions.

Any visitors demonstrating signs/symptoms of upper respiratory infection or other signs of infection will be denied visiting privileges.