RT Book, Section
A1 Armstrong, Kelly
A1 Silverman, Ross D.
A2 McKean, Sylvia C.
A2 Ross, John J.
A2 Dressler, Daniel D.
A2 Scheurer, Danielle B.
SR Print(0)
ID 1137607165
T1 Medical-Legal Concepts: Advance Directives and Surrogate Decision Making
T2 Principles and Practice of Hospital Medicine, 2e
YR 2017
FD 2017
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071843133
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1137607165
RD 2024/04/19
AB Advance  directives,  such  as  living  wills,  health  care  powers  of  attorney,  do-not-resuscitate  orders,  and  mental  health  care  directives,  are  written  legal  documents  that  offer  patients  the  opportunity  to  reflect  upon  and  provide  direction  for  their  future  medical  care.  They  are  important  and  useful  tools  to  facilitate  discussions  between  patients,  family  members,  and  physicians  about  end-of-life  care  choices,  and  they  provide  guidance  and  legal  protection  in  those  situations  when  a  patient  is  no  longer  capable  of  declaring  care  preferences,  when  critical  and  difficult  treatment  decisions  need  to  be  made.  Following  an  advance  directive  facilitates  making  end-of-life  care  decisions  at  the  patient’s  bedside  rather  than  through  contentious  court  proceedings.  More  importantly,  advance  directives  are  legal  mechanisms  that  reinforce  the  fundamental  professional  and  moral  responsibility  of  health  care  providers  and  institutions  to  promote  and  protect  patient  autonomy,  welfare,  and  dignity.