According to the report, the reader checked into a surgical center and was told via the consent form that the surgical center had chosen “not to honor” her advance healthcare directives. According to Ms. Zamosky, healthcare providers can decline to honor advance directives, and it’s common for hospitals and surgery centers to do so during surgery as a matter of policy.
She said a physician might choose to disregard a directive if something goes wrong during surgery, such as an adverse reaction to anesthesia, and the physician needs “a certain degree of flexibility” to correct the error.
If a provider refuses to honor the advance directive, most states require the provider make a reasonable effort to transfer the patient to another physician who will honor the patient’s wishes.
Read the LA Times report on advance directives.
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