Advance Directives
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Your Right to Make Your Medical Decisions
As a competent adult, you have the right to control decisions about your own health care. You have the right to accept or refuse any treatment, service or procedure used to diagnose, treat or care for your physical or mental condition.
You have the right to make your own health care decisions as long as you have the ability to understand the following:
- Your medical condition and
- Benefits, risks and burdens of a particular course of treatment and care and its alternatives.
Your right to decide also gives you the right to control the use of medical technology in regard to your health care, including decisions about nutrition (food) and hydration (water). The concept of living longer by using medical technology is complex. Part of your right to make your own medical decision is your right to decide (based upon your values) the extent to which medical technology should be used, and under what circumstances.
To Exercise Your Right To Make Your Own Medical Decision, You Should Do the Following:
- Make certain you understand your medical treatment options. If you do not understand something or need more information, ask your health care providers. You have the right to an explanation in terms you understand.
- Speak to your minister, rabbi, priest, other spiritual advisor, member of your family, or a close friend if you have ethical or moral concerns about your decision.
- Discuss your desires with your doctor or health care provider. Make sure that your health care provider understands what you want in the event you are unable to make your own medical decisions.
There may come a time when, due to your mental or physical condition, you may be unable to make your own health care decisions. Your health care providers will then look to any prior written Advance Directive or to any family members to make decisions on your behalf. A determination that you are unable to make you own health care decision must be made by a doctor.