Catholic Identity and Ethics Reviews (CIER)
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“I am most grateful for the work and ministry of the National Catholic Bioethics Center and in particular their Catholic Identity and Ethics Review. This Review helped me to better understand and to strengthen the Catholic health care ministries in my diocese. The Review was clearly written, faithful to Church teaching, and directly addressed all facets of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. I highly recommend it!”
Through its Catholic Identity and Ethics Review (CIER) program, the NCBC provides comprehensive, consistent reviews of Catholic hospitals, health care systems, and nursing homes based on the USCCB’s Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs).
The need to better define and strengthen Catholic identity in health care has never been greater. Care for the ill, injured, and dying is an essential ministry of the Church, yet progress in health care has brought not only benefits but also unprecedented challenges: vast technological powers, increased financial costs, demands of activists, and waves of laws, rules, and regulations—some diametrically opposed to Catholic beliefs and moral teachings.
The CIER program can help bishops fulfill their responsibility to oversee and strengthen the Catholic healing ministries in their dioceses and help Catholic health care institutions to obtain an objective and comprehensive review of how well they are implementing the ERDs.
Key Features of the CIER Program
Built upon the structure and content of the ERDs
Objective, external review
Comprehensive, in-depth, and expert ethical analysis
Clear, consistent scoring and reporting
Respects the needs and roles of bishops and Catholic health care leaders
The CIER program reviews both written guidance and specific measures of performance.
Written Guidance
1. Policies. An institution’s policies should express and guide its commitment to mission, Catholic identity, and implementation of the ERDs across the organization.
2. Educational Programs and Materials. Sound educational materials are essential for implementing policy guidance. The CIER program reviews educational materials for employees, leaders, and the public.
3. Collaborative Arrangements. Collaboration is both an opportunity and a challenge for Catholic health care. The CIER program reviews major collaborative arrangements based on the latest edition of the ERDs.
Performance
4. Data. Contemporary health care delivery requires documentation (in the form of codes) of all diagnoses and treatments in the care of patients. The CIER program analyzes key codes to assess integrity in surgical and clinical care.
5. Survey of Implementation. The NCBC surveys organizations to learn how they implement policies and educational guidance to faithfully implement the ERDs.
6. Onsite Visit. The CIER program includes an on-site visit to see in person how a Catholic health care institution’s identity and ethical integrity are manifested in the environment of care, in daily work, and in the testimony of leaders and staff.
The CIER program is always a shared endeavor of the local bishop, a Catholic health care organization, and the NCBC. The Catholic health care organization always provided with a draft copy of the CIER report first and is given the opportunity to suggest corrections or clarifications before the Final Report is provided to the bishop. The NCBC works with bishops and Catholic health care organizations to design an improvement plan if necessary.