Reinstate the Patient Self Determination Act
In light of a renewed emphasis on advance care planning during the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems odd that USDHHS has waived healthcare facility duties under the Patient Self Determination Act.
Normally, the Patient Self-Determination Act requires healthcare facilities:To inform patients of their legal right to accept or refuse medical treatment.
To advise patients of their rights under state law to document their end-of-life care preferences in an advance directive, if they can no longer speak for themselves.
To share their written policies respecting the implementation of such rights.
In response, Compassion & Choices has sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Alex Azar urging him to rescind the waiver. The end-of-life care advocacy organization warned this waiver could result in some patients receiving unwanted medical treatment and others not receiving treatment they want and desperately need to have a chance to survive.
“[R]esearch studies and clinical practice demonstrate when patients have open and honest conversations with their healthcare providers about available treatment options, the vast majority will choose to forgo invasive end-of-life treatments...and futile care, rather than hospitals and doctors having to ration it,” wrote Compassion & Choices President & CEO Kim Callinan. “Given this [reality], rather than waiving requirements that hospitals inform patients of their advanced directive policies, we urge that you...
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Thaddeus Mason Pope, JD, PhD Tags: Health Care syndicated Source Type: blogs
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