At Saint Francis Healthcare, we uphold the highest legal and ethical standards when providing you with care. This includes following any advanced directives you bring with you to the hospital and helping you develop these instructions if you wish.
Making Ethical Decisions: Advanced Directives
An advance directive is a legal document that you have created prior to treatment that will guide the health care you receive in the event that you are unable to communicate your decisions for yourself at the time you need care. Three main types of advance directives include: a living will, a health care power of attorney and advance instructions for mental health treatment.
Know Your Rights
In accordance with the Self-Determination Act passed by Congress in 1990, you will be asked if you have an advance directive when you are admitted to the hospital. It is your right to develop these advance directives if you wish. However, Saint Francis Healthcare will not condition the provision of care or discriminate in any way against you based on whether you’ve executed an advance directive.
Your Existing Advance Directives
You have the right to bring an advance directive with you to the hospital. If you do so, it will become a part of your medical record for your current admission. Your health care team will follow your wishes in the event that you are unable to make your wishes known.
