Advance Care Planning
Advance Care Planning is the "process" of assisting individuals in understanding
their medical condition and potential future complications; understanding the
options for future medical care as it relates to their medical condition;
discussing choices with family, loved ones, and providers; and reflecting upon
these choices in light of personal values, goals, and religious or cultural
beliefs. This planning process is vitally important, not only for older
Americans or those who have a serious and/or progressive illness, but also for
healthy younger adults who may lose the ability to speak for themselves because
of trauma or a sudden unexpected illness.
As such, it demands guidance in uncovering
the patient’s story and facilitating shared decision making among patient,
family, provider and others. It emphasizes the personal relationships embedded
in making difficult choices for future medical care. Embracing this definition
of advance care planning acknowledges that it is an ongoing process, not just
the completion of one document.
National studies regarding end-of-life care
for those who have not prepared indicate that we are failing by not addressing
these issues early. According to the survey, most states received a "D" grade in
advance care planning.
Advance
Directives
There are four legal documents that protect one's right to specify the treatment
one wants, or to refuse medical treatment one does not want, in the event a
person loses the ability to make decisions.
1.
Texas Medical Power of Attorney
·
Lets you name someone to make
decisions about your medical care-including decisions about life support-if you
can no longer speak for yourself.
·
Your attending physician must
certify in writing that you are unable to make health care decisions, and file
the certification in your medical record.
2.
Texas Directive to Physicians and
Family or Surrogates
(Living Will)
·
Lets you state your wishes about
medical care in the event that you develop a terminal or irreversible condition
and can no longer make your own medical decisions.
·
Becomes effective when your
attending physician certifies in writing that you are in a terminal or
irreversible condition.
3.
The Out-of-Hospital Do Not
Resuscitate Order (OOH DNR)
The OOH DNR program allows individuals to decide that they do not want to be
resuscitated if they stop breathing and their heart stops beating. The program
allows people to declare that certain resuscitative measures will not be used on
them. Those resuscitative measures specifically listed in the OOH DNR
legislation are cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), advanced airway management,
defibrillation, artificial ventilations, and transcutaneous cardiac pacing.
4.
The Declaration for Mental Health
Treatment
Lets you state your wishes about mental health treatment.
Advance Directive Forms
Below are links to forms needed. The Out of Hospital Do Not Resuscitate
information and forms in English and Spanish are available by going to:
http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/hcqs/ems/dnrhome.htm#forms
Additional information is
available at Texas Department of Health, or you can obtain a copy from your
physician or health provider. This form must be signed by a doctor to be valid.
Caring Conversations Workbook
A wonderful tool to assist you and your family to identify what type of care you
want at the end of life. After completing this process, be sure to download,
print and complete the three
Texas Advance Directive forms. Give copies of these forms to your loved ones
and store in a safe place. For additional information visit:
http://www.midbio.org
