DAYTON -- When attorney Erica Glass begins her presentation on the importance of written health care directives, she typically begins with a name she knows many people will recognize. I always start with Terri Schiavo," says Glass, a lawyer with Coolidge Wall Co., L.P.A. in Dayton.
About eight years ago, Geri Heppe met with all her family and had a six-hour conversation about death. Prompted by Heppe, who works for ProHealth Care in Waukesha County, every family member older than 18 discussed how they'd like to be treated if suddenly faced with a health condition that left them unable to make decisions. Then, each person signed a special form legally designating a spouse, sister or parent to make medical decisions for them in such a critical situation.
Inevitably, clients, family and friends will assume that all attorneys can answer questions about long-term care planning. However, not every attorney is well-versed in the complex laws governing substituted health care decision-making and Medicaid Planning. Two upcoming Monroe County Bar Association programs will help attorneys avoid serious mistakes when counseling in these areas. The Monroe County Bar Center for Education will present Health Care Directives Revisited from 12:15 to 2 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the bar center. The program will address, from the medical perspective, practical drafting issues and ethical concerns, the utility of health care directives and living wills, HIPAA privacy rules, and local initiatives for documenting health care directives in medical records.
For nine years, Dorreen Rardin, coordinator of Boone Hospital's palliative care program, has watched families grapple with how best to care for a dying loved one who is unconscious, incapacitated or unable to communicate. When there have been little or no conversations about what the patient would want to happen should they ever be on their death bed, families often have a very difficult time making medical decisions, she said, but if that patient has filled out an advance health-care directive or appointed someone their durable power of attorney for health care, the family and the patient's suffering is eased.
Virginia launched a statewide registry Wednesday aimed at collecting copies of advance health care directives written by citizens who want to make sure that their wishes are met in emergency and end-of-life situations. The registry, at www.virginiaregistry.org, allows anyone to upload a copy of his or her advance directive to a secure website. Besides detailing wishes for end-of-life care, such as do-not- resuscitate orders, people also can include information appointing a medical power of attorney. Records are protected by a password and personal identification number.
Free workshop The State Law Library will present a free brown bag workshop called "Health Care Directives" at noon today.
ver las páginas en versión mobile | web
ver las páginas en versión mobile | web
© Copyright 2012, vLex. All Rights Reserved.
Contents in vLex United States
Explore vLex
For Professionals
For Partners
Company
Other interesting searches:
Mony Life Insurance Company | MARTINDALES LTD | Bald Head Island Management Inc | Korea Asset Funding 2000-1 Limited | rational choice theory | Autonomie des établissements publics locaux | corte apelaciones temuco jurisprudencia | Majorité qualifiée | seguridad y vigilancia en colombia | resolucion 3314
