Put your healthcare decisions in writing.
What are advanced medical directives?
Advance directives are a means of communicating to all caregivers the patient’s wishes regarding health care. If a patient has a Living Will or has appointed a health care agent, and is no longer able to express his or her wishes to the physician, family or hospital staff, the Medical Center is committed to honoring the wishes of the patient as they are documented at the time the patient was able to make that determination.
Different types of advance directives:
- Living wills are written instructions that explain your wishes for health care if you have a terminal condition or irreversible coma, and are unable to communicate.
- Appointment of health care agent (sometimes called a Medical Power of Attorney) is a document that lets you name a person (your agent) to make medical decisions for you, if you become unable to do so.
- Health care instructions are your specific choices regarding use of life sustaining equipment, hydration and nutrition and use of pain medications.
During Joint Replacement Class, you will be asked if you have an Advance Directive. If you do, please bring a copy with you so it can become part of your Medical Record. Advance Directives are not a requirement for hospital admission.