Patients Decide Who Can Decide!

[3113]

At friggin' last!

Patients at nearly every hospital in the country will now be allowed to decide who has visitation rights and who can make medical decisions on their behalf -- regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or family makeup -- under new federal regulations that took effect Tuesday.

I mean, never mind the gay rights element of this--why the fuck shouldn't I, the patient, decide who gets to decide what medical procedures I need if I can't speak for myself? Why should the hospital assume that a family member I may not even be speaking to gets to make that decision rather than a good friend?

This sounds like common sense to me.

 

[Stella_Omega]

MAKE SURE you have your POA in place, and that your designees know where their copies are. Because once you're comatose, it's too late.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

And it would never occur to you to designate Power of Attorney cuz that wouldnt be hysterical enough to suit you.

 

[squarejohn]

I'm thinking of getting this tattooed on my chest: DO NOT RESUSCITATE.
Would that do the trick?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm thinking of getting this tattooed on my chest: DO NOT RESUSCITATE.
Would that do the trick?

Find a decent tattoo parlor, please. No unsterile tat needles!

 

[Boxlicker101]

This makes so much sense I have to wonder why there was ever any doubt about it. I don't just mean same sex partners, although that is obviously,part of it. There are times when the next of kin is aware of a will and wants to get it read as soon as possible, especially before dear old dad spends a lot of money on surgery that will prolong his life and improve its quality.

This should have always been place. The wishes of the patient should be paramount but, if they are not written down, the persons who know them should be asked.

 

[stephen55]

It's kind of like life insurance....

When you're seriously ill, injured or on death's doorstep...it's a little late to consider buying life insurance.

In my experience, decisions about critical illness, injury or end of life care are usually straight forward. Family, loved ones and medical staff usually have no problem coming to reasonable decisions.

That said, when things get contested...you know what hits the fan. It might be a question of religious values, personal issues (gay patient/family vs. straight patient/family), a whack of money tied up in a will or even just plain long term animosity between siblings. As a doc who's been caught in the middle of two or three of these situations, nothing says "this is how it's going to be" like a clearly laid out list of the patient's wishes, preferably listed on paper with a lawyer's letterhead at the top, with patient and lawyer's signature at the bottom.

Personally, I've never been presented with one. There have been a few times that I wish I had.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

At least when my father was terminal, the whole family knew full well what he wanted long before the dementia set in. Yeah, I think it's time to make out a will and a POA.

 

[3113]

As a doc who's been caught in the middle of two or three of these situations, nothing says "this is how it's going to be" like a clearly laid out list of the patient's wishes, preferably listed on paper with a lawyer's letterhead at the top, with patient and lawyer's signature at the bottom.

From what I gather regarding this, it's more a matter of asking the patient who they want while they're still able, pretty much when they get checked into the hospital and right before they get taken in for any procedure.

The contention seems to be less about the car accident victim who must be rushed into emergency (and who ought to have that letter from the lawyer), then about the person who might have gone in for something "routine" or for something on-going and things go wrong, as they can, or get worse, as they can, and suddenly someone has to make a decision--or just who can visit this patient.

Hospitals have restricted that "who" to spouse or next-of-kin. Now the patient can say, "Anything happens, I wanna be able to see my lover/best friend/next door neighbor..." and the hospital can't say, "Oh, gosh, sorry, we know you're dying but only next-of-kin allowed...."

So stupid! It's amazing we held onto such a dark-age idea for so long! Like back when they wouldn't let men be with their wives when the baby was being born! The doctor and hospital can certainly limit the number of people the patient sees for whatever medical reasons, but to decide who they get to see? Unless that person is unbalanced and dangerous to the hospital, WTF?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Dear Reader,
3113 is full of doo doo. No hospital is superior to the law. Simply produce the Power of Attorney or speak with the MD. The MD issues the orders NOT the hospital.

 

[SeaCat]

When you're seriously ill, injured or on death's doorstep...it's a little late to consider buying life insurance.

In my experience, decisions about critical illness, injury or end of life care are usually straight forward. Family, loved ones and medical staff usually have no problem coming to reasonable decisions.

That said, when things get contested...you know what hits the fan. It might be a question of religious values, personal issues (gay patient/family vs. straight patient/family), a whack of money tied up in a will or even just plain long term animosity between siblings. As a doc who's been caught in the middle of two or three of these situations, nothing says "this is how it's going to be" like a clearly laid out list of the patient's wishes, preferably listed on paper with a lawyer's letterhead at the top, with patient and lawyer's signature at the bottom.

Personally, I've never been presented with one. There have been a few times that I wish I had.

This is why I have P.O.A. for my parents in case of emergency. I am also the Executer of their Wills if something were to happen to both of them.

I have in my safe a copy of each of their Living Wills, D.N.R. Orders etc.

As a matter of fact I received a new copy of said documents today because they had been updated at my urging. The changes are ones that I requested and my parents agreed with. (My Brother and Sister and their kids will be oh so disapointed. They will each be receiving small trinkets/rememberances but the vast majority of my parents estate will be liquidated and the procedes will be going to a charity they have chosen.)

My wife and I both have full packets including our D.N.R. Orders, Living Wills and full Wills for each other. (These do include the fact that both of us are Organ Donors.)

Another thing for people to think about is what is called an ICE Number. On your Cell Phones and/or house phones have a number designated as ICE. (In Case of Emergency) This is the number the Emergency Workers will call first if you are unable to communicate. (In our cases my wife and I have ICE #1 and ICE #2.)

Cat