Program Administrator

The Program Administrator position is the primary administrative program support to the Clinical Ethics Service (CES) and its director leadership and to the Hospital Ethics Committee (HEC) and its co-chairs. It is the initial contact for program inquiries and for clinical consultation and therefore must be knowledgeable about the CES and HEC. This position is fully integrated into all aspects of the CES and HEC, including its functions, missions, and policies, and represents them on behalf of the co-chairs and director. The individual must have the ability to act independently on diverse and sensitive matters, and make decisions that accurately represent the functions, policies, and practices of the CES. This person will carry out the policies and procedures of the CES and HEC, as well as those UNC Hospital and SOM policies relevant to performance of CES. They will promptly respond to all inquiries and organize/prioritize according to CES standard practices. For those requests related to patient care matters, they will complete a confidential intake and preliminary assessment of the patient-related matter using HIPAA standardized procedures, including interviewing the requestor and reviewing relevant information in the medical record (EPIC), and initiate the clinical ethics consultation process, using discretion about selection of appropriate CES consultants, on behalf of the director. Similarly, they will offer similar assessment and initiation for all other requests, coordinating with CES, HEC, and Center for Bioethics (Center) leadership as necessary. The individual will keep comprehensive records of services received and their evaluation, with special safeguards for patient and other sensitive information. Accurate data keeping and reports are essential. A collegial manner and sensitivity are critical, as this person will maintain a positive working relationship with CES personnel, HEC membership, and with various individuals from the Department, Center, SOM, and UNC Health. They will also maintain positive working relationships with any members of outside HECs who contact us, as well as those patients, families, and community members who request our ethics services. This position will assist with attendee management, pre-planning and on-site support services of any meeting. This position has responsibility for maintaining consultation records, member and staff files and other program files. Because of this integral role in developing and distributing information, this position will develop and maintain user-friendly websites and perform other public relations tasks. They will arrange and attend various Committee meetings, as well as create and maintain minutes and all other documentation of Committee activities. The secondary function of the position will be devoted to RES, to work in the planning, organizing and execution of bioethics research projects, research ethics educational offerings, and research ethics consultation requests within the Center for Bioethics.