This study examines the functioning of a Bioethics Unit (BU) five years after its launch (2016–2020), combining quantitative metrics with qualitative insights. The BU operates as a dedicated research center, investigating ethical challenges in clinical practice, offering ethics consultations, and delivering training programs for health care professionals (HPs). We employed a sequential mixed-methods design, starting with quantitative analysis followed by qualitative exploration to contextualize the findings. Quantitative information was extracted from the BU’s internal records and summarized descriptively. For qualitative insights, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 HPs who had varying interactions with the BU, and responses were interpreted using a framework analysis approach. Data indicated a steady growth in the BU’s research portfolio and increasing collaboration with other hospital units. Four overarching themes emerged from the interviews: (1) the motivations behind HPs reaching out to the BU and the forms of collaboration; (2) the perceived role of the bioethicist; (3) the influence of BU activities on HPs’ reflective thinking and ethical reasoning; and (4) the demand for expanding ethics support to broader hospital settings. Overall, the combination of empirical research with conventional ethics support within a single unit appeared to foster collaboration and promote a culture of ethical awareness among HPs. These findings contribute to international discourse on clinical ethics support models, highlighting the value of empirical bioethics research in enhancing practical ethics services. They also provide a foundation for establishing a multidisciplinary Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC) to augment the BU’s consultation activities locally.
