MEDICAL SURFARI: EMERGENCY CARE: WHO DECIDES IF YOU CAN'T?

It can happen to you.

Cancer

A heart attack

Stroke

A slip in the bathtub

A car accident and a rush to the hospital

When you need medical care, you want the best you can get. The advancement of medical technology has brought about more choices for patients and physicians. This is especially true when patients have critical injuries or illnesses that threaten their lives.

As you know, there are now a variety of instruments and devices "machines" that are options available to physicians and patients at different stages of illness, injury and disease. Most of the time it is clear when to apply these technologies for patients.

Sometimes, however, there are real dilemmas, and we are confronted with making life or death healthcare decisions.

Remember, lucid adults have the right to make choices about their available healthcare treatment options. In fact, there are several ways that you can make certain your wishes for healthcare will be carried out on your behalf, even when you are unable to make treatment decisions yourself.

You can do this by preparing an Advance Directive, which is a legal document prepared with or without the assistance of an attorney. This will allow you to decide in advance what medical treatments you want to receive if you become physically or mentally unable to communicate your wishes.

There common types of Advance Directives are a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare.

A Living Will is a document that states the kinds of medical care you want if you become unable to make your own decisions. It is called a Living Will because it takes effect while you are living as opposed to estate wills that take effect after you die.

A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare (DPAHC) authorizes someone else, a proxy, to make your medical decisions if you are unable to make them for yourself.

This can also include instructions about treatments you do not want. You may be in a quandary about which of these directives is better.

Remember that a Living Will doesn't allow you to name someone to make your medical decisions if you cannot, but a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare does. Remember, you do not have to have any type of Advance Directive if you do not want one; however, if you have one be certain to tell your family, close friends, and minister about your wishes and where your Advance Directive is located.

Also, tell your attorney and physician and make certain your Advanced Directive is part of your medical records where you are likely to receive your care.

Keep a small card in your purse or wallet that notifies emergency medical services of your wishes because most of the time in an emergency situation, there is no time to look for or evaluate different types of documentation. So, make certain that those who are likely to be called in the event that you have a health emergency know whether you have an Advance Directive.

Your community hospital is your best resource for accessing Healthcare Advance Directive documents.

World Wide Web Resources

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

www.aarp.org/programs/advdir/adiraarp.html

The AARP supports the concept of planning medical decision-making through the use of advance directives, and provides information on advance directives pertinent to people of all ages.