The initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed ethical challenges facing our healthcare systems, including resource shortages, financial concerns and ethical preparedness. As we evolve toward a new normal for healthcare systems, it is imperative that we learn from our experiences and assess the ethical quality of system responses and work toward their improvement. This session provides an overview of the ethical aspects of the COVID pandemic and the different types of ethical responses it has required of health systems. Participants will learn how systems that invested in ethics personnel leveraged them in support of a rapid, mission-centered and systematic response to systemwide ethical issues that arose in the first wave of the pandemic.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the ethical issues experienced during COVID-19 by two large healthcare systems.
• Learn strategies on how to integrate ethical decision-making and resources in planning, implementation and post-pandemic evaluation.

Presented By:

• Alan Muster, Senior Vice President Wellstar Medical Group, Specialty Division, Wellstar Health System
• Jason Lesandrini, FACHE, Assistant Vice President, Ethics, Advanced Care Planning & Spiritual Health, Wellstar Health System
• Nancy E. Gin, Executive Vice President/Chief Quality Officer, The Permanente Federation
• Thomas V. Cunningham, PhD, Bioethics Director, Kaiser Permanente Southern California

This session was originally presented at the 2021 Congress on Healthcare Leadership.

Continuing Education Credit

ACHE Qualifying Education Credit

This recording is eligible for 1 ACHE Qualifying Education credit.

ACHE Education credits will be automatically updated in your My ACHE account upon completion of the recording.

Interprofessional Continuing Education Credit

In support of improving patient care, the American College of Healthcare Executives is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive a maximum of 1 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change. For further information about Joint Accreditation credits and certificates, please click here.

Physician Continuing Medical Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Nursing Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 contact hours of continuing nursing education.

Continuing Pharmacy Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this knowledge-based activity for a maximum 1 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit. 

Continuing Social Work Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives designates this knowledge-based activity for a maximum 1 contact hours of continuing social work education credit.

Physician Associate/Physician Assistant Continuing Education

The American College of Healthcare Executives has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for a maximum of 1 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.