Advance Health Care Directives

What if you became ill or injured and could no longer communicate with family members or health care personnel to let them know your wishes and what kind of care you would like?

By completing a document called an advance health care directive, you can make your wishes known, letting your physician, family and friends know your preferences, including the types of special treatment you want or don’t want at the end of life, your desire for diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and organ donation.

• You have the right to give instructions about your own health care.
• You also have the right to name someone else to make health care decisions for you.

All Washington Hospital patients receive information regarding advance directives upon admission. In order to be in compliance with the Federal Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) passed by Congress in 1990, Washington Hospital now asks, at the time of registration, all patients over the age of 18 if an advance directive has been drafted. Washington Hospital has formal policies to ensure that your wishes about treatment will be followed.

If you present an advance directive to us when you register, this information will be maintained in your medical records. If you have not completed an advance directive and want information, we will provide it to you. You are not required to have an advance directive to receive medical care. Resources are available to answer questions you might have.

A brochure which explains your right to make healthcare decisions and how you can plan what should be done when you cannot speak for yourself is available in the Admitting department.

Download an Advance Health Care Directive Form

• Advance Health Care Directive Form 1
• Advance Health Care Directive Form 2

Online Resources

• www.agingwithdignity.org/five-wishes.php
• www.calhospital.org/resource/advance-health-care-directive