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Making
Choices, Taking Action
New Living Will
Registry Will Help With End-of-life Decisions
There are few things more
personal than making decisions about our medical
treatment preferences at the end of our lives. Such
decisions can be difficult to discuss even with those
closest to us. While some people may have ideas about
organ donation, or instructions on whether to
resuscitate, few actually write them down or share them
with others.
To help with this difficult
process, the Washington State Department of Health has
created a secure, online living will registry to make it
simple for people to put their final wishes in writing.
The registry also stores emergency contact information
that health care providers can use to quickly contact
family or next-of-kin.
People of all ages should
have a living will, so I hope you’ll share this
information with friends and family. You can learn more
about the registry online (www.doh.wa.gov/livingwill).
You’ll find information on how to register along with
living will forms to download. It takes just a few
simple steps to express your final treatment wishes:
complete the living will documents and registration
agreement form and mail them to the state Department of
Health.
At the minimum, we recommend
everyone complete a “health care directive” and a
“durable power of attorney for health care.” Here’s a
brief description of the online forms:
-
Health Care Directive—a
legal document (sometimes called a Living Will or
Advance Directive) that expresses a patient’s wishes
for end-of-life medical treatment.
-
Durable Power of
Attorney for Health Care—a legal document giving
someone other than the patient permission to make
medical decisions for them.
-
Physician Orders for
Life Sustaining Treatment—a specific plan created by
a patient with a serious health condition and their
doctor stating the patient’s treatment wishes.
-
Mental Health Advance
Directive—a legal document that allows a patient to
express treatment preferences should they become
unable to communicate due to mental illness.
It’s easy to register — and
it’s free! You’ll receive a confirmation letter; a
unique registration ID number; and a wallet card and
stickers to place on your driver’s license or
identification card. Once signed up, you can access or
change your living will any time.
The registry is also helpful
to health care providers. They can get quick access to a
patient’s living will so they can confidently follow
their final treatment wishes. Providers can sign up by
completing a simple application form and faxing it to
us. Once approved, they’ll receive a special online
access code. Providers can find information online about
how to apply (www.doh.wa.gov/livingwill/providerregistration.htm).
End-of-life decisions can be
difficult and emotional for patients and loved ones. If
you’re a health care provider, I hope you’ll inform your
patients about this new tool — and use it yourself, too.
Contact Carol.Wozniak@doh.wa.gov,
360-236-4369, for information or to request brochures.
Legislative
Session Results In New Laws That Impact Public Health
I was one of several of Governor Gregoire’s cabinet
members who took part in a series of newspaper editorial
board meetings after the legislative session ended last
month. We had a lot to talk about. The governor wants to
make sure the state puts money away in our savings
account, especially with recent national economic
concerns. The budget she signed on April 2 leaves $850
million in savings set aside for a rainy day.
Healthier families is one of
the governor’s priorities. Three “patient safety” bills
that she requested passed; we’ll start seeing the impact
soon. One creates new, higher standards for counselors
in our state. The new counselor credentials will
increase the level of education, training, and
supervision counselors must have.
Another new law gives the
agency authority and funding to do national criminal
background checks on any out-of-state provider who wants
to be licensed here. It allows us to revoke a provider’s
license permanently in severe cases where patients are
at risk. There’s also a new law that allows the
Department of Health to publicly release certain
information we receive about adverse events in hospitals
and other health care facilities.
Senior citizens who are
seriously hurt when they fall are a growing concern. We
received funding and authority to expand our work
establishing coalitions, training professionals, and
instituting a statewide fall prevention network. That’s
good news; our work in that area is really making a
difference.
It was a busy session. Now
it’s our turn to put these laws into action.
Have a safe, healthy, and
physically active spring.
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