Patients can make their specific wishes known about the extent of treatment they would like to receive through a health care directive. Other terms frequently
used to describe these documents are "Living Will" or "Advance Directive."
If you are interested in a health care directive form, ask the patient's social worker to review one with you. Any document written by the patient before he
or she enters the hospital can be considered a health care directive. If a document like this exists, make sure to pass it along to the health care team as soon
as possible after your relative is admitted to United Hospital. We have included a copy of a health care directive form here for your use:
If your relative has not written down specific wishes in a health care directive,
you can help ensure that he or she receives the desired care.
Although the health care team is the expert on the risks and benefits of specific
treatments, you and other family members are the experts on the choices patients
would make if they could speak for themselves. After admission to United, it
is very important that you tell us these wishes regarding your relative's care
as soon as possible. If circumstances change, you will have the opportunity
to discuss all plan of care options.
The patient care conference, which brings the family together with the physician,
nurse and members of the team, is another avenue to let the patient's wishes
be known. To help reduce any possible confusion or misunderstanding about the
patient's care, you should appoint one individual who will act as the spokesperson
between the family and the health care team.
United Hospital
333 North Smith Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102
651-241-8000 E-mail us
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