Living Wills and Advance Directives Forms Pennsylvania

After you've gone to the trouble of writing down your wishes for medical treatment in a living will or advance directive, you may be concerned about what would happen if a doctor or hospital didn't want to follow your instructions. Health care providers are generally required to comply with the wishes you set out in your health care; here you can learn about the situations in which a health care provider is permitted to reject a medical decision made by you or your agent.

Local Companies

Anthony Schimmel, Associate Broker/Owner - Keller Williams Real Estate
(610) 395-9123
2901 Emerick Boulevard, Suite 100
Bethlehem, PA
Long & Foster Real Estate - Mary Lynn Bonsall
(877) 247-8080
3101 Emrick Boulevard
Bethlehem, PA
The Wagner Group - Keller Williams Real Estate
(212) 380-7448
2901 Emerick Boulevard, Suite 100
Bethlehem, PA
Grace Realty Co, Inc.
(610) 837-4131
LVIP IV, Suite B
Bethlehem, PA
Re/Max Classic Group - Alice Marques, Realtor
(610) 262-4566
2416 Emrick Boulevard
Bethlehem, PA
Realty Transfer Services of LV, Inc.
(610) 252-2132
2299 Brodhead Road, Suite C-2
Bethlehem, PA
Coldwell Banker Hearthside - Bethehem
(610) 967-4658
2299 Brodhead Road, Suite C2
Bethlehem, PA
Keller Williams - judy p. arnold
(610) 814-0296
2901 Emrick Boulevard
Bethlehem, PA
Landsearch & Settlement, Inc.
(610) 438-3720
3005 Brodhead Road
Bethlehem, PA
Schweps, Inc.
(908) 859-4433
2619 Tenth Street
Bethlehem, PA

 

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After you've gone to the trouble of writing down your wishes for medical treatment in a living will or advance directive, you may be concerned about what would happen if a doctor or hospital didn't want to follow your instructions.

To put your mind at ease, know that health care providers are generally required to comply with the wishes you set out in your health care documents -- and to honor your health care agent's authority as long as the agent's directions are a reasonable interpretation of your wishes.

In some situations, however, a health care provider is permitted to reject a medical decision made by you or your agent. This may be true if:

  • the decision goes against the conscience of the individual health care provider
  • the decision goes against a policy of a health care institution that is based on reasons of conscience, or
  • the decision would lead to medically ineffective health care or health care that violates generally accepted health care standards applied by the health care provider or institution.

But this doesn't mean that your health care instructions can be ignored. A health care provider who refuses to comply with your wishes or the directions of your health care agent must promptly inform you or your agent. And if you or your agent wishes, the provider must immediately take steps to transfer you to another provider or institution that will honor your directive. In some states, a health care provider who intentionally violates these rules may be legally liable for damages.

How Pregnancy May Affect Your Health Care Directives

There is one situation in which your specific health care directions might be challenged or ignored completely: when you are pregnant. If you may become pregnant, it's a good idea to explicitly state what you want if your health care documents go into effect while you are carrying a child.

But whether or not doctors will honor your wishes depends on several factors, including how far along you are in your pregnancy, the risks to you and the unborn child, and the policies of individual doctors and health care facilities. If you are in your second or third trimester, doctors are likely to administer all medical care they deem necessary to keep you and the fetus alive.


Author: Shae Irving

Copyright 2008 Nolo
For more information visit Nolo Press

Featured Local Company

Anthony Schimmel, Associate Broker/Owner - Keller Williams Real Estate

(610) 395-9123
2901 Emerick Boulevard, Suite 100
Bethlehem, PA

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