< Back to Blog Home

Healthcare Decision Day

By Tasa Richardson, Director of Planning, Marketing and Communications

National Healthcare Decision Day was April 16th. Although it is a day to bring the important topic of advance care plans to the forefront, it is something that can be addressed any day of the year. This day is to educate and empower someone to take the steps to make yours and your loved one’s advance directives.

What is an advance directive you may ask? It is a written statement/document of a person’s wishes regarding his/her medical treatment. These documents are made to ensure those mentioned wishes are carried out should the person not be able to communicate. The four types of advance directives are Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates, Medical Power of Attorney, Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order and Declaration of Mental Health Treatment.

Let’s learn a little more about what each of these allows.

The Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates allows you to specify for the provision, withdrawal or withholding of medical care in the event of a terminal or irreversible condition. This document is designed to help you communicate your wishes about medical treatment when you are unable to make wishes due to illness or injury. You may want to consider what burdens or hardships of treatment you would be willing to accept versus the amount of benefit obtained if you were seriously ill. It is important to discuss these wishes with your family or chosen spokesperson, physician/healthcare provider and medical institution.

The Medical Power of Attorney allows you to designate another person as your agent/spokesperson for making health care decisions if you become incompetent. It is important to note that you do not have to have a terminal or irreversible condition for a medical power of attorney to be used. This begins when your physician certifies that you lack the competence to make health care decisions. Your designee has the obligation to follow your instructions when making decisions on your behalf, if you have no instructions, they will have the same authority to make decisions about your health care as you would have had. You should inform the person you appoint to this role and discuss any wishes you may have, or other documents filed that would have your wishes included.

The Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order allows competent adults to refuse certain life-sustaining treatments in non-hospital settings where health care professionals are called to assist, including hospital ERs and outpatient settings. In addition to this the last type of directive is the Declaration of Mental Health Treatment. This document gives guidance to what types of mental health treatment you would want if you could not speak for yourself. This directive allows a court to determine when you become incapacitated, and when that declaration becomes effective.

All these forms are available on the Texas Hospital Association website at https://www.tha.org/information-for/public/advance-directives/ . Please print these forms, fill them out and get them filed in your medical record at Midland Memorial Hospital. To do this, please call Health Information Management at 432-221-1600 and select option 1. Forms can be sent electronically to advancedirectives@midlandhealth.org. In addition, when you are registered as a patient at Midland Health, we will ask you about your advanced directives or if you would like additional information.

Back

Related Blogs

Celebrating Certified Nurses Day!

The Gift Of Life Through Donation

Early Screening and Risk Assessment Is Not Just for Superstars

IT Master: The 4DX Journey to Better Patient and Employee Outcomes

Midland Health Celebrates Hospital Week

Mental Health Tips

A Call to Action: Ending Violence in Hospitals

Saving Young Lives through Heart Screenings

Men's Health Month: 6 Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

Empower the Community: Join Midland Health in Enhancing Health Literacy

Comments:

No comments yet.

Comments are moderated by Midland Health. Abusive language and profanity is prohibited. In addition, comments that are off-topic, spam, or include PHI (Protected Health Information) will be removed immediately.

Your Name:	Please enter your name.
Your Email:	Please enter your email address.

< Back to Blog Home

Healthcare Decision Day

Related Blogs

Comments:

Leave a comment below.

Subscribe to our blog by email.