Patient
Rights & Advance Directives
Our first concern is you. Compassionate care
and your welfare are part of the St. John's tradition. We encourage you to
actively work with us to assure the highest quality health care. Please let
your caregivers know if you have questions. You are responsible to actively
take part in your care.
At all times you can expect:
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To be involved in making decisions about
your care and treatment.
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That you will receive the best
possible treatment because we are
committed to working with you to
manage your pain and discomfort.
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To be asked to provide personal and
family information that is necessary
for your health care. This
information is shared only with
people involved in your care.
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That we will listen to you and
respond promptly and appropriately.
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That we will respect your wishes,
even if you cannot speak for
yourself.
Safety and Quality of Care
St.
John’s Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We encourage you
to report any safety or quality concerns to St. John’s
Patient Relations at 417-820-6987 or 417-820-2120.
We value
your patronage and encourage contact with St. John’s Patient
Relations so that our management can address your concerns.
Any safety or quality concerns, which have not been
addressed by hospital management, may be reported
directly to the Joint Commission.
To contact
The Joint Commission directly, the address is:
Division of Accreditation
Operations
Office of Quality Monitoring
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Fax: 630-792-5636
E-mail: complaint@jcaho.org
St. John’s encourages the
reporting of quality of care and patient safety concerns to
Patients Relations at 417-820-6987 or 417-820-2120. Any
employee that has concerns about safety or quality of care
provided at St. John’s that have not been addressed may
report these concerns to the Joint Commission without fear
of disciplinary actions against them.
Advance Directives
We want you to know your right to make
decisions about your health care. This right is called
self-determination. Self-determination includes the right to
accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment. You also have
the right to make an advance directive - a document that states
your health care wishes. An advance directive is a "Living Will"
or "Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care." Your right to an
advance directive is supported by federal and state law.
What are advance directives?
Advance directives are documents written before serious illness
strikes. Advance directives state your wishes about future
health care, or name someone to make decisions for you if you
cannot make your own decisions. You should know that advance
directives have legal force only if you become unable to make
health care decisions for yourself. There are two ways Missouri
law allows you to express your health care wishes using an
advance directive: through a living will or durable power of
attorney. There are some legal differences between these two
advance directives.
What is a living will?
A living will is a written document that states the kind of
medical care your would accept or refuse during your illness.
Missouri statutory law says that a living will only applies in
case of terminal illness. However, the courts have allowed the
living will to apply in other situations if there is "clear and
convincing proof" that you would have wished life support
measures withheld or withdrawn in these situations.
The law does not require a formal living will document. Simply
writing a statement about your treatment choices is acceptable.
In order to be a legal document, though, you must date and sign
your living will in the presence of two witnesses over the age
of 18. You can cancel your living will at any time by simply
letting your health care providers know your wishes.
What is a durable power of attorney?
A durable power of attorney for health care is a short, simple,
advance directive. The DPA for health care lets you name someone
to be your personal agent to make health care decisions for you
if you can't make your own decisions. This document is not
limited to situations where you are terminally ill. If you are
unable to speak for yourself, the personal agent you named in
your DPA for health care has the power to agree to or refuse all
kinds of healthcare treatment. Your personal agent can make
decisions to withhold or withdraw tubes and IV's used for
feeding or fluids, if that is what you stated in the DPA for
HealthCare.
You must sign your DPA for HealthCare before a notary for it to
be a legal document. It must become a part of your permanent
medical record to be effective. In the event you cannot speak
for yourself, two doctors must certify you are unable to make
your own healthcare decisions. You can cancel your DPA for
HealthCare at any time by simply letting your healthcare
provider know your wishes.
How does
St. John's comply with advance directives?
St. John's Health System will honor most health care wishes
expressed directly by you or through your advance directive if
you become unable to speak on your own behalf.
If you have a written advance directive from another state, St.
John's Health System will comply with all parts of it that agree
with Missouri law and Health System policies.
If you have questions about St. John's Health System compliance
with an advance directive, please let us know. You may contact
St. John's Ethicist Dan Dwyer at 417-820-2153.
Are
there advance directive statements that St. John's Health System
will not honor?
St. John's Health System will not honor statements in advance
directives that are illegal in the State of Missouri. These
statements include requests for mercy killing, assisted suicide,
and withholding or withdrawing life support treatment from a
patient who is pregnant.
In addition, St. John's Health System will not honor requests
for advance directives for sterilization or elective termination
of pregnancy.
Our health care professionals will discuss any statements you
might have in your advance directive that cannot be honored.
They will also note this in your medical record. You should know
that any advance directive statement that doesn't comply with
St. John's Health System policy will not be carried out if you
can't speak for yourself.
If you or your personal agent cannot accept St. John's Health
System policy about advance directives, St. John's Health System
will not interfere with your transfer to another healthcare
provider. If required, St. John's Health System will take
reasonable steps to assist you in transferring. Also, if your
doctor is unable or unwilling to carry out your advance
directive, he/she will take reasonable steps to transfer your
care to another doctor of your choice.
How does
St. John's Health System implement your advance directive?
There are several steps St. John's Health System takes to make
sure those people who care you know you have an advance
directive.
You will be asked if you have an advance directive:
- When you are admitted to any of the St. John's Health
System hospitals, skilled nursing facilities or rehabilitation
services
- When you become a resident of Mercy Villa
- When you come on service of St. John's Health System
Visiting Nurse Association Home Care or Hospice each time you
visit a St. John's Health System physician.
If you have an advance directive, it will be noted in your
medical record and, with your consent, we will place a copy
there. The original will be returned to you. If you have an
advance directive, we request you bring it each time you are
admitted. We want to make certain your caregivers will have your
most recent advance directive.
If you become unable to make your own healthcare decisions, St.
John's Health System and your doctor will consult your advance
directive.
If you have not prepared an advance directive and become unable
to make your own decisions, St. John's Health System and your
doctor will turn to your family and/or a court appointed
guardian for advice about your care.
Administrators, physicians or other health care providers at St.
John's are happy to answer questions about your rights under
state law and give you information about our advance directive
policies.
Download a PDF version of advance
directive information:
Advance
Directive Information - SPANISH (276K)
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