Advance Directive Policy
Northwest Medical Center supports a
patient’s right to participate actively in healthcare decision making.
Through education and inquiry about the presence of an Advance
Directive and/or LivingWill Declaration, this hospital will encourage
patients to communicate their preferences. Such communications will guide others in healthcare decision making for the patient if he/she becomes incapacitated.
The
patient will be given information regarding Advance Directives. If the
patient desires to formulate an Advance Directive, a packet of
information may be obtained from Social Services (205-487-7798). The
hospital shall not condition the provision of medical care or otherwise
discriminate against an individual based on whether or not the individual has executed an advance directive.
Northwest
Medical Center and its caregivers shall comply with the patient’s
advance directive(s) to the extent permitted by law. The patient shall
be transferred to another doctor or healthcare facility of his/her
doctor(s) or agent of his/her doctor(s), or the healthcare facility
cannot respect the patient’s advance directive requests as a matter
of “conscience”. In the event a patient wishes to initiate an advance
directive during his/her hospitalization, Social Services shall be
contacted.
Deciding About Your Health Care
If you are 19
or older, the law says you have the right to decide about your medical
care. If you are very sick or badly hurt, you may not be able to say what
medical care you want. If you have an advance directive, your doctor
and family will know what medical care you want if you are too sick or
hurt to talk or make decisions.
Advance Directives
An
advance directive is used to tell your doctor and family what kind of
medical care you want if you are too sick or hurt to talk or make
decisions. If you do not have one, certain members of your family will have to decide on your care.
You
must be at least 19 years old to set up an advance directive. You must
be able to think clearly and make decisions for yourself when you set it
up. You do not need a lawyer to set one up, but you may want to talk
with a lawyer before you take this important step. Whether or not you
have an advance directive, you have the same right to get the care you
need.
Types of Advance Directives
In Alabama, you can set up an Advance Directive for Health Care. The choices you have include:
- A
living will is used to write down ahead of time what kind of care you
do or do not want if you are too sick to speak for yourself.
- A
proxy can be part of a living will. You can pick a proxy to speak for
you and make the choices you would make if you could. If you pick a
proxy, you should talk to that person ahead of time. Be sure that your
proxy knows how you feel about different kinds of medical treatments.
- Another
way to pick a proxy is to sign a durable power of attorney for health
care. The person you pick does not need to be a lawyer.
You can
choose to have any or all of these three advance directives: living
will, proxy, and/or durable power of attorney for health care.
Hospitals,
home health agencies, hospices, and nursing homes usually have forms
you can fill out if you want to set up a living will, pick a proxy, or
set up a durable power of attorney for health care. If you have
questions, you should ask your own lawyer or call your local Council on
Aging for help.
When You Set Up An Advance Directive
Be
sure to sign your name and write the date on any form of paper you fill
out. Talk to your family and doctor now so they will know and understand your
choices. Give them a copy of what you have signed. If you go to the
hospital, give a copy of your advance directive to the person who admits
you to the hospital.
What Do I Need to Decide?
You will
need to decide if you want treatments or machines that will make you
live longer even if you will never get better. An example of this is a machine
that breathes for you. Some people do not want machines or treatments
if they cannot get better. They may want food and water through a tube or pain medicine. With an advance directive, you decide what medical care you want.
Talk to Your Doctor and Family Now
The
law says doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes must do what you want or
send you to another place that will. Before you set up an advance directive,
talk to your doctor ahead of time. Find out if your doctor is willing
to go along with your wishes. If your doctor does not feel he or she can carry out your wishes, you can ask to go to another doctor, hospital, or nursing home.
Once
you decide on the care you want or do not want, talk to your family.
Explain why you want the care you have decided on. Find out if they are
willing to let your wishes be carried out.
Family members do not
always want to go along with an advance directive. This often happens
when family members do not know about a patient’s wishes ahead of
time or if they are not sure about what has been decided. Talking with
your family ahead of time can prevent this problem.
You Can Change Your Mind at Any Time
As
long as you can speak for yourself, you can change your mind any time
about what you have written down. If you make changes, tear up your old papers and give copies of any new forms or changes to everyone who needs to know.