Ethicist

Company Description

Henry Ford Health partners with millions of people on their health journey, across Michigan and around the world. We offer a full continuum of services from primary and preventative care to complex and specialty care, health insurance, a full suite of home health offerings, virtual care, pharmacy, eye care and other health care retail. With former Ascension southeast Michigan and Flint region locations now part of our team, Henry Ford's care is available in 13 hospitals and hundreds of ambulatory care locations. Based in Detroit, Henry Ford is one of the nation's most respected academic medical centers and is leading the Future of Health: Detroit, a $3 billion investment anchored by a reimagined Henry Ford academic healthcare campus.

Job Description

Job Title

Per-Diem/Contingent Ethicist

About the Department

Join the Ethics Department at Henry Ford Health, based at One Ford Place in Detroit's New Center. Our team supports ethical decision-making across the health system, working closely with clinicians, patients, families, and hospital Ethics Committees. We are committed to promoting patient-centered care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and thoughtful approaches to complex ethical challenges in healthcare.

Role Overview

Under the direction of the System Director of Ethics, the Per-Diem/Contingent Ethicist primarily provides clinical ethics consultation services across Henry Ford Health, with a particular focus on Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit campus).

This is a primarily remote position, with opportunities for in-person consultation and participation in ethics-related activities as needed.

The Ethicist works collaboratively with healthcare professionals, patients, and families to address complex ethical issues, facilitate ethical decision-making, and support conflict resolution. The role may also involve supporting hospital Ethics Committees, providing ethics education, and participating in system-wide ethics initiatives as needed.

Why Henry Ford Health

At Henry Ford Health, we are relentless advocates for exceptional care for our patients, communities, and each other. We come to do meaningful work and grow our careers, and we stay for the connection, support, and shared pride in making the impossible possible.

What You Will Do

Provide timely and effective clinical ethics consultation services across Henry Ford Health, with priority support for Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit campus).

Assess and respond to ethics consultation requests, offering ethical analysis and practical guidance to clinical teams, patients, and families.

Facilitate communication, consensus-building, and conflict resolution in ethically complex clinical situations.

Collaborate with physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other healthcare professionals to support ethically sound, patient-centered care.

Document ethics consultations in the electronic medical record in accordance with organizational policies and standards.

Participate in hospital Ethics Committee activities and contribute to ethics education and system-wide ethics initiatives as needed.

Work independently in a primarily remote setting while maintaining timely communication and coordination with clinical teams and the System Director of Ethics.

What You Will Need Required Qualifications

What We Offer

At Henry Ford Health, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful clinical ethics work across a large and diverse healthcare system. This flexible, primarily remote position offers opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, professional engagement, and direct involvement in ethically complex patient care.

Join Our Team

If you are passionate about clinical ethics and helping healthcare teams navigate complex ethical challenges, we invite you to apply for the Per-Diem/Contingent Ethicist position at Henry Ford Health.

Qualifications

An advanced degree in a relevant field, such as a PhD in philosophy, bioethics, or a related discipline; a Juris Doctor (JD); or a Doctor of Medicine (MD/DO) with additional graduate education, fellowship training, or equivalent experience in bioethics or clinical ethics.

Demonstrated experience in clinical ethics consultation, preferably five or more years in a healthcare setting.

Strong knowledge of clinical ethics principles, healthcare law, applicable regulations, and clinical standards of practice.

Experience working with interdisciplinary healthcare teams and hospital Ethics Committees.

Excellent communication, ethical reasoning, analytical, and conflict-resolution skills.

Ability to independently manage ethics consultation requests, exercise sound professional judgment, and handle confidential and sensitive information.

Ability to work effectively in a primarily remote environment while remaining responsive to time-sensitive clinical needs.

Preferred Qualifications

Healthcare Ethics Consultation Certification (HEC-C) from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH).

Experience providing clinical ethics education and facilitating complex goals-of-care discussions.

Familiarity with ethics consultation documentation in Epic or a comparable electronic health record system.