22 Jun Advance Directive
An advance directive is a legal document that outlines a patient’s wishes for medical treatment should they be unable to make decisions regarding their health in the future. It is also referred to as a living will. Having one can ensure the end-of-life process isn’t unnecessarily prolonged or painful for the patient, and it can relieve the emotional burden of making the right medical choices by family members.
Reasons to create an advance directive
Creating an advance directive ensures a patient is medically treated the way they want to be treated, even if that person is unable to advocate for themselves. People with terminal illnesses, debilitating conditions, and progressing diseases usually opt to create a living will.
However, it is recommended to have an advance directive, whether or not a medical condition is diagnosed. In the event of an accident, family members and hospital staff are able to make medical decisions that are in that patient’s best wishes without burdening the family with those decisions.
Certification in order for a living will to guide decision making
The process of determining whether an advance directive is to go into effect isn’t always clear. Therefore, certain criteria need to be met. Criteria include determining the inability of the patient to make medical decisions and/or whether their medical condition meets the requirements of that state’s living will law.
It is important to note that emergency medical technicians will not honor living wills because they are contractually obligated to do what is necessary to stabilize a person for transport to the hospital. A living will can only be certified by two physicians in a hospital or clinic setting.
Power of attorney
While an advance directive enables a patient to make important decisions before they are incapacitated and unable to do so, a power of attorney enables someone else to make decisions on a patient’s behalf. Power of attorney is often combined with a living will to ensure a patient receives the care that best meets their wishes.