Advance Directives
Monday, May 3, 2004

A 1991 federal law, the Patient Self-Determination Act, requires that patients be informed about their right to participate in health care decisions, including their right to have an advance directive. What are advance directives? Dr. Ken Davis tells us in today’s Sixty Second Housecall. 

Advance directive is a general term that applies to two types of legal documents--living wills and medical powers of attorney. These documents let you give instructions about the medical care you want to receive in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself because of serious illness or incapacity.

A living will is a legal document that expresses your wishes about medical treatment at the end of life. A medical power of attorney is a legal document that lets you choose a specific person to make medical treatment decisions for you any time you are unable to make those decisions yourself.

About 10 to 20 percent of Americans have some type of advance directive. However, even if you have an advance directive, your wishes may not be followed if your doctors and family members are not aware of them. It's important that you tell your doctor and family members about your wishes and that you have prepared an advance directive.  Advanced planning can be a great comfort to your family when they face difficult end-of-life decisions.

For North Mississippi Medical Center, I’m Dr. Ken Davis.