Ethics
Global Patient Services
who come to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for our best-in-class care. We received 236 international inquiries from 45 countries and provided care for 81 international patients from 19 countries. Through our family and patient housing program, we also provided accommodations for 255 families from 35 states.
understand these challenges, address the risks and benefits of available treatment options, and advocate for the values and preferences of patients and families. In FY25, our ethicists conducted 194 patient and staff consultations. The program also engaged more than 2,700 staff, trainees and professionals through tailored educational seminars and specific programs on ethics dilemmas that arise in clinical and research settings.
255
194 patient and staff consultations
family housing accommodations provided
2,700 professional consultations
19 countries Global Patient Services (GPS) helps coordinate care and manage logistics for patients from other states and countries
At Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, patients, families and their medical teams often face complex, dynamic and life-altering decisions. The Donnelley Ethics Program team works to
Ethics in Action: Navigating Advance Directives
make decisions fluctuated due to cognitive impairments stemming from the injury. Acting as his surrogate decision-maker, his wife agreed to inpatient rehabilitation. A few days into his stay at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, she discovered the AD and shared it with his care team. Our ethicists stepped in to help interpret the document and guide the team on how best to honor his previously stated wishes. They collaborated closely with his wife and medical providers to assess his decision-making capacity and understand his values. In a lucid moment, the patient said he wanted to continue rehabilitation — a pivotal insight that helped shape his care and reassured his family and clinical team. This case, previously published in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Journal, underscores the importance of having experienced ethicists available to support patients and families through complex decisions.
An advance directive (AD) is a legal document that allows individuals to express their preferences for medical treatment in case they become unable to communicate those wishes themselves. But, what happens when a patient’s condition changes in unexpected ways, or when their wishes are open to interpretation? That’s where our ethics program plays a vital role in helping families and care teams navigate these complex situations. One such case involved an 86-year-old man with serious heart and lung conditions. Following a discussion with his cardiologist, he completed an AD stating he did not want long-term ventilator support nor a tracheostomy in the future. A year later, the man fell from a ladder and sustained a traumatic brain injury. Emergency room doctors intubated him and later placed both a tracheostomy and a feeding tube to keep him alive. His recovery was uncertain, and his ability to
Thanks to your support, our ethics program ensures patient voices are heard, even when they cannot speak for themselves.
24 Quality-of-life Programs
Quality-of-life Programs 25
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