OGDENSBURG -- Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center is reminding patients that the Family Healthcare Decision Act and Medical Orders For Life Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) can help ensure people’s wishes are followed when it comes time to make end-of-life decisions.

An advanced directive allows a patient to make decisions regarding medical care, and the right to accept or refuse treatment. The patient can document their wishes on a NY State Health Care Proxy form or a Living Will.

“Ideally, all healthy-independent adults should have a Health Care Proxy, and a discussion with their healthcare providers about CPR, organ donation, treatments, artificial nutrition, etc. This discussion should start long before patients are terminally ill,” said Leah Neely, RN, BSN director of case management at Claxton-Hepburn.

Advanced directives are a gift. “Doctors and nurses can be instrumental in assisting the community with advance care planning,” states Dr. Prasad Yitta, surgeon at CHMC, “This policy and accompanying forms assists patients and families to plan their end of life decisions and gives them control of their life and prevents burdensome decisions for families.”

Dr. Yitta added, "Modern Medicine with aggressive interventions can delay the death and ignores the quality of life issues the terminally ill patients face. Doctors should not fight a war they can not win. Having the MOLST assists practitioners and families in letting the patient go on their terms.”

As a person experiences a decline in health, maybe due to chronic illness or disabling disease, additional orders such as MOLST and/or DNR should be considered.

The MOLST form is a neon pink form that is completed by the patient with their physician, and returned to the patient. It is recommended that this be kept on the patient’s refrigerator so that it can easily be located by emergency personnel. The form should accompany the patient when they come to the hospital or to each medical office visit so that it may be reviewed and updated as necessary.

“It’s all about improving the communication of personal wishes and honoring treatment preferences before a patient loses the ability to make end of life decisions,” Neely stated.

This is a new law and many questions and ethical issues will arise.

Claxton-Hepburn is offering assistance in completing the MOLST form, required checklists and documentation on the medical record, by contacting Neely 713-5105, case management department at 713-5264, or Cheryl O’Brien, RN, BSN at 713-5182. Claxton-Hepburn representatives are also available to speak to groups.

“The Family Health Care Decision Act is all about honoring patients’ wishes when they can no longer speak for themselves,” said Neely.

For more information, visit www.compassionandsupport.org.