|
|
|
|
|
Home > News
|
| Tuesday, April 12, 2011
|
|
Contact: Debra Thompson
Director, RMH Corporate Communications
540-564-5886
In observance of National Healthcare Decisions Day, RMH encourages all adults to create an advance directive, a statement expressing your healthcare choices should you become unable to state your wishes regarding treatment.
RMH representatives will be available from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, April 15 in the hospital main lobby to provide forms and answer questions about how to create an advance directive. People can use these resources to talk about their wishes with family, close friends and healthcare providers and to create written advance directives in accordance with Virginia state laws.
With the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990, Congress affirmed the right of every citizen to set forth his or her future healthcare wishes in writing with an advance directive. As a result of the first observance of National Healthcare Decisions Day in 2008, more than 750,000 Americans documented their future healthcare wishes. Yet, estimates suggest that only about a quarter of all Americans have done so, said Natalie Rinaca, patient relations coordinator, Compliance and Risk.
“Making healthcare decisions for ourselves is often difficult in the best of circumstances,” Rinaca said. “Making decisions for others is even more complicated. Each of us can provide guidance to our healthcare providers and our loved ones about what we want. Advance directives give you the ability to document the types of healthcare you do and do not want, and to name an agent to speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself.
“Advance directives can be created without a lawyer, for free, and relatively easily,” she continued. “The goals of National Healthcare Decisions Day are to provide much-needed information to the public, reduce the number of tragedies that occur when a person’s wishes are
unknown, and improve the ability of healthcare facilities and providers to offer informed and thoughtful guidance about advance healthcare planning to their patients.”
For more information about National Healthcare Decisions Day, visit nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org. For a free booklet and the state-approved advance directives form, call RMH Healthsource at 540-433-4580.
|
|
|
|
Virtual Tour
Planning a visit to RMH? Take a tour of our campus before you come.
Talk to Us
RMH appreciates your feedback.
Sign up for updates and news from RMH!
Enter your email address below to receive health and news updates from RMHOnline.com!
|