A Message from The President: Health Care Decisions

Bruce A. Snyder, MD | SCMA President

Today marks the Seventh Annual National Healthcare Decisions Day. As physicians, we often spend a great deal of time talking with our patients about end-of-life-care issues, but today I want to remind you that it is equally important that we take the time to also make those decisions for ourselves.

The goal of National Healthcare Decisions Day is to ensure that all adults with decision-making capacity in America have both the information and the opportunity to communicate and document their future healthcare decisions.  The first years’ results were impressive—over 750,000 people obtained resources to make their health care decisions known.

My siblings and I have experienced the advantage of our parents open discussions and planning for their futures.  We were pleased that both of our parents completed Advance Directives with the advice of their physicians.  Twenty years ago my mother chose to not again be placed on a ventilator because of her day to day struggles due to severe emphysema.  Likewise two years ago my father died without aggressive intervention or CPR.   Both understood their need to make the decision that was most appropriate for them, and to share that with their loved ones.  My mother was confined to the home, required a walker, slept poorly, and was constantly short of breath even with oxygen.  Two years earlier she spent five days on a ventilator and was able to return home, but saw her health steadily deteriorate and therefore eventually chose comfort care.  My father at age 85 started dialysis and for over two years was able to drive himself back and forth for treatments three days a week, have an active social life, and remain active in his church.  Then as his health deteriorated, he required transportation for his dialysis treatments, required an electric scooter, and became short of breath with minimal activity.  He discussed his options with his physicians, family, and friends; and then he also decided not to undergo more extensive care. I had served as his health care agent with his wish for me to make healthcare decisions if he could not make them for himself.  Having completed both his Advance Directive and Health Care Power of Attorney gave him and all of his children assurance that his wishes would be followed and when confronted with his final illness, I was able to honor his wishes.

I encourage you to visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionday.org for a variety of free information (including free advance directives forms for every state) and tools to assist you with your own thoughtful reflection on your healthcare choices.

I also encourage you to check out the work being done by our very own SC Coalition for the Care of the Seriously Ill (CSI). Their mission is that all persons in South Carolina with serious, chronic or terminal illnesses will have an active voice in the care decision process.

I hope you will take the time to spread the word to your patients, as well as make your own wishes known to your loved ones---- remember, your health care decisions matter, too.