In a previous post I wrote about basic estate planning steps that everyone should consider. An important compenant of planning in Oregon is the Advance Directive for Health Care, a statutory form used to appoint a health care representative to make health care decisions when we are unable and/or to express wishes about end-of-life decisions that may someday need to be made. This video includes a discussion between a terminal cancer patient and his pain management physician about extraordinary life-saving measures. It appears that a form similar to Oregon's Advance Directive is being contemplated. Included is a short interview of the patient's daughter, who I think articulates well the benefits of this type of planning from the perspective of family members. She expresses a sense of calm and relief about her father having addressed these issues. In part 2 of this series (post to follow), the important role of doctors is examined within the backdrop of federal health care reform signed into law late last year. A provision that would have allowed doctors to be compensated for their time in conducting end-of-life counseling was removed from the bill prior to its passage. I think doctors play a crucial role in educating their patients on the things to consider in making these decisions. It's interesting to hear this doctor's view.
