Annual Bioethics Symposium: Preserving the Autonomy of Vulnerable Patients

Danville, PA US
April 17, 2026
The theme of this year's Bioethics Symposium is vulnerability in health care. Although definitions of vulnerability have evolved, in general, the concept is applied to patient populations that are, for various reasons, often exposed to heightened risks of harm. At this daylong event, during presentations and interactive sessions, the speakers will explore the ethical challenges that often arise in caring for patients who are:
  • Elderly
  • Incarcerated
  • Intellectually/developmentally disabled
  • Struggling with mental illness
  • Young
In addition to the theoretical and empirical background, each session will provide participants with practical, "how to" information on relevant aspects of Pennsylvania health care law, as well as Geisinger-specific policies and procedures. 
 
This is an in-person educational activity.

Target Audience

This activity is appropriate for medical residents and fellows, as well as for credit-earning groups such as physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, social workers, and other health care professionals.

Learning Objectives

The key learning objectives include enabling learners:

  • discuss, describe, and critically reflect on the concept of vulnerability in health care.
  • describe conditions or situational features that render patients vulnerable and strategies for mitigating these same conditions or features.
  • describe frequently encountered difficulties with surrogate decision making with patients who are incarcerated, intellectually/developmentally disabled, elderly, and/or struggling with mental health problems, along with strategies for responding to those difficulties.
  • discuss, describe, and better navigate the difficulties encountered in capacity assessments in patients with mental health difficulties, intellectual/developmental disability, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations.
  • discuss, describe, and integrate in health care decision making the limits on the authority of health care representatives in withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment.
Course Cancellation Policy
In the unusual circumstance that this course is cancelled, you will be called and/or emailed.  Geisinger is not responsible for any airfare, hotel or other costs incurred.
 
Attendance
Attendance will be recorded within three to four days of the conclusion of the activity.  Credit will display on your continuing education transcript once the activity evaluation is completed.  
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 6.00 ANCC
  • 6.00 ASWB
  • 6.00 Participation Credit
Course opens: 
02/04/2026
Course expires: 
12/31/2026
Event starts: 
04/17/2026 - 8:30am EDT
Event ends: 
04/17/2026 - 3:30pm EDT
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In advance of the full agenda, here are the main topics we will be covering:
 
  • Preserving the Autonomy of Vulnerable Patients
  • The Incarcerated Patient
  • The Intellectually/Developmentally Disabled Patient
  • The Elderly Patient
  • Two Faces of Vulnerability: The pediatric research patient and the liver transplant recipient
  • The Patient with Mental Health Difficulties 
Henry Hood Center for Health Research
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822
United States

All visitors to the Geisinger campus, please park in the patient parking lot. A shuttle bus will take you to the Henry Hood Center for Health Research, please notify the driver when boarding the bus of your final destination.

Travel

Henry Hood Center for Health Research is located on the Geisinger Campus in Danville, Pennsylvania (Montour County), Exit 224 on Interstate 80. Routes 11 and 54 also intersect in Danville.

Geisinger Faculty

Dan Davis, PhD, HEC-C
Activity Director
Associate Chief, Clinical Ethos and Healthcare Communication
Professor of Bioethics
 
Sharon R. Gray, MA, RN, HEC-C
Activity Planner
Senior Clinical Ethicist, Bioethics and Decision Sciences
 
Dan Hoegen, LCSW, HEC-C
Activity Planner
Clinical Ethicist, Bioethics and Decision Sciences
 
Karen Korzick, MA, MD, FAAP
Activity Planner
Physician, Critical Care Medicine
Professor of Medicine
 
Max F. Kramer, PhD, HEC-C
Activity Planner 
Clinical Ethicist, Bioethics and Decision Sciences
 
Michelle N. Meyer, PhD, JD, HEC-C
Activity Planner
Chief Bioethics Officer, Bioethics and Decision Sciences
 
Linda Page, RRT
Activity Planner
Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Therapy
Member, Hospital Ethics Committee

Content Disclosure

The faculty has attested that their presentations and/or content are HIPAA compliant.  
 
Individuals in a position to control educational content for this activity have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. 
 
CE Committee Members/Content Reviewer(s) have disclosed no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests. 
 
*Any/All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.  
 
 

Accreditation 

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

 

 

 

 

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Geisinger College of Health Sciences is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Worker Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 6 ethics continuing education credits. 

Credit Designation 

Geisinger College of Health Sciences designates this live activity for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the educational activity. 

Geisinger College of Health Sciences designates this live activity for 6 contact hours for nurses. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the educational activity. 

Disclosure Policy 

Faculty and all others who have the ability to control the content of continuing education activity sponsored by Geisinger College of Health Sciences must disclose to the program audience whether they do or do not have any real or apparent conflict(s) of interest or other relationships related to the content of their presentation(s). 

Commercial Support

None

Available Credit

  • 6.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 6.00 ANCC
  • 6.00 ASWB
  • 6.00 Participation Credit
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