Advance Health Care Directives
At a recent meeting of the Gold Country Estate Planning Council , medical social worker Erin Thomas-Rose shared a different perspective on Advance Health Care Directives. By federal law, hospitals are “mandated educators” and must offer patients assistance in preparing this legal form. At Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, Ms. Thomas-Rose counsels patients about the Advance Health Care Directive, and the newer POLST (acronym for “Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment”). In the Hospital setting, urgent medical conditions are of primary concern to the patient and family, and the discussion may focus on decisions about treatment options in the face of a chronic or terminal illness.
When preparing the Advance Health Care Directive form in the estate planning process, we can discuss these decisions with forethought and less urgency. Most important is to designate a first and alternate Agent to communicate your wishes to health care providers if you are unable to speak for yourself.
While there are many versions available, my preferred form is the Advance Health Care Directive packet offered by the California Medical Association (CMA) which is available online here…
The CMA form includes a broad description of the “life-sustaining treatments” you may choose to withhold if diagnosed with a terminal condition, including CPR, feeding tube, blood transfusions and antibiotics. Reflecting thoughtfully before an emergency happens may assure that your personal wishes for medical care and treatment will be honored.
The CMA website also provides answers to common questions about the forms.
Another popular form is the Five Wishes used by many Hospice programs.
Making sure you have a properly-signed Advance Health Care Directive is what we do in preparing comprehensive estate plans for our valued clients. Please contact me anytime with questions.