Clinical Ethics Support for Public-Sector Healthcare
Specializing in VHA, behavioral health, and high-risk care environments
Principal Consultant
- Latelle J. Barton II, MD, HEC-C, is a clinical ethicist specializing in complex decision-making in federal, public-sector, and high-risk healthcare environments.
- He brings experience across federal hospital systems, including military and Veteran Affairs settings, with a focus on behavioral health, capacity assessment, surrogate decision-making, and ethical challenges in resource-constrained environments.
- Dr. Barton has delivered ethics education and training to healthcare students, medical students, and medical residents, with emphasis on professionalism, behavioral sciences, and real-world clinical application.
- His work focused on supporting healthcare teams navigating high-stakes ethical dilemmas, improving decision-making processes, and strengthening systems serving vulnerable populations, including veterans and individuals with complex medical and mental health needs.
About Pacific Bioethics
- Pacific Bioethics, LLC was established to improve healthcare outcomes for vulnerable and underserved populations by strengthening ethical decision-making within clinical systems. The organization focuses on expanding access to practical, case-based ethics support for healthcare teams working in complex care environments, including behavioral health, public-sector systems, and veteran-serving settings.
- Traditionally, formal bioethics support has been concentrated in large academic medical centers and integrated hospital systems. Many community-based healthcare organizations encounter similar ethical challenges without access to trained ethics professionals. Pacific Bioethics was created to help address this gap by making ethics consultation and education more accessible, practical, and responsive to the needs of smaller and nontraditional care settings.
- The company's services are intended to support community clinics, long-term care facilities, outpatient practices, behavioral health programs, and public-sector healthcare systems, particularly those serving individuals with complex medical, mental health, and social needs.
- Pacific Bioethics is structured to operate through a collaborative and non-punitive approach, with an emphasis on strengthening ethical decision-making, supporting staff confidence, and fostering trust between patients, families, and healthcare organizations.
Federal & State Partnerships
Ethics Support for Public Healthcare Systems
Pacific Bioethics LLC is a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), California Certified Microbusiness, and Los Angeles County LSBE, available to offer specialized healthcare and clinical ethics consulting for government agencies and public health systems.
Core Public Sector Services
- Decision Support & Ethics Advisory
Guidance for healthcare teams on ethical dilemmas in patient care, informed consent, and decision-making capacity.
- Program & Policy Development
Design and implementation of ethics frameworks that align operations with federal and state regulations.
- Moral Distress Support
Ethics-informed strategies addressing clinician burnout and moral distress in high-risk environments.
- Training & Professional Education
Tailored workshops and continuing education for clinicians, leadership, and staff.
- Research & Human Subjects Protection
Consultation on regulatory compliance, informed consent, and participant safeguards for clinical and behavioral studies.
- Crisis & Emergency Response Ethics
Ethical decision frameworks for disaster response, triage, and scarce resource allocation.
Principal Consultant Differentiators
- Certified Healthcare Ethics Consultant (HEC-C) with academic and clinical experience.
- Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics Fellow alum; National Institute of Health research ethics training.
- Dual background as Associate Professor of Medical Ethics & Professionalism and former U.S. Navy medical service member.
- Unique blend of academic, military, and consulting experience applied to federal and state healthcare, healthcare education, and research systems.