POLICY #1014

NUMBER OF PAGES:  1

SUBJECT:  Advance Directives

EFFECTIVE SINCE:  March 1, 2003

REVIEWED:  4/05

REVISED: 5/04

PURPOSE

A.

All Medicare and Medicaid-certified Ambulatory Surgery Centers are required by Federal law to provide information on Advance Health Care Directives (“AHCD”) to their patients, staff and community.

B.

An Advance Health Care Directive (“AHCD”) is the legally recognized document for appointing a health care agent in California.

C.

To ensure Waverley Surgery Center meets the legal requirements of state and federal law regarding Advance Health Care Directives, which requires:

1.

At the time of admission to the Waverley Surgery Center, the staff shall provide written information to the patient regarding:

a.

The patient’s right under state and federal law to make decisions regarding his/her medical care. This includes the right to accept or refuse treatment and the right to formulate an Advanced Health Care Directive; and

b.

The surgery center’s policies regarding Advance Health Care Directive.  It is the policy of Waverley Surgery Center to initiate resuscitative measures and prepare patients for transfer to an acute care hospital for further diagnostic evaluation.  On transfer, a copy of the advanced directive will be sent with the patient.

PROCEDURE

A.

Patient’s scheduled and presenting for admission,

1.

Pre-op phone caller will ask patient if he/she has an Advance Health Care Directive and if patient does have one to bring a copy with them to the surgery center on the day of surgery.  Preoperative caller will inform the patient of the center’s policy.

2.

Registration personnel will ask the patient if he/she has a current Advance Health Care Directive.

3.

At the request of any patient, registration personnel will give the patient a copy of the Advance Health Information Sheet, which contains information regarding Advance Health Care Directives.  (See Attachment B)

4.

For each patient who indicates that he/she has an Advance Health Care Directive, registration personnel will ask for a copy of the Advance Directive, which will be placed in the patient’s medical record.

5.

Medical Records personnel will, upon discharge of the patient, place an Advance Health Care Directive sticker on the outside of the medical record. 

6.

If there is no pre-existing Advance Health Care Directive and a patient wishes to formulate one, the substance of the Advance Health Care Directive will be documented in the patient’s medical record by the patient’s physician and the patient will be given an Advance Health Care Directive information document. (See Attachment  A)