According to Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (HPCO) District of Columbia durable power of attorney for healthcare gives the person named as the attorney in fact or the agent the powers to make healthcare decisions on behalf the principal (patient) in future, if the patient would not be in a position to make decisions concerning his or her medical treatment (HPCO, 2005).
The questions expressed in the form include the medical treatments that the patients would wish be accorded in the case of a terminal condition, vegetative state and other situations such as organ donation and autopsy. The patients can also include other statements about their medical treatment not covered in the document on a separate sheet of paper. The patients states if they would wish to have or not to have life sustaining treatment, artificial nutrition and hydration and comfort care. The patients further states if they would wish to donate, in the event that they wish to donate their organs they state the organs they would wish to donate. The patients also make a declaration on their wish for autopsy. Two witnesses who are not family members must sign the form (HPCO, 2005).
Durable power of attorney is important because it gives the patient control of their medical treatment wishes and ensures that the wishes are handled as they would have wished if they could make sound decisions for themselves. The document is also important to family members, friends and healthcare practitioners as they would not have to guess what the patient would have wanted if the patient were in a position to make a sound decision. The document further gives family members and friends a peace of mind that comes with knowing that their patients’ wishes are fulfilled (HPCO, 2005).
Family members are the most recommended in helping the patients complete the form, but the patient can consult a lawyer, a friend or a medical practitioner for more advice on the choices one decides to make. The links to the forms are listed below.
http://www.formscdn.com/Download/Files/district-of-columbia-durable-power-of-attorney-for-health-care-living-will-and-other-wishes-form.pdf
http://www.caringinfo.org/files/public/ad/DistrictofColumbia.pdf
References
D.C., Maryland and Virginia Advance Directive. (n.d.). Your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Living Will and Other Wishes. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from http://www.formscdn.com/Download/Files/district-of-columbia-durable-power-of-attorney-for-health-care-living-will-and-other-wishes-form.pdf
Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. (2005). Planning for Important Health - Care Decision. National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 1, 1-6.
