Advance Directives

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends, and healthcare professionals, and to avoid any future confusion. 

A Living Will

A living will allows you to choose your preferences about care intended to sustain life by either accepting or refusing the stated form of medical attention. There are many issues to address, including but not limited to:

  • The use of life sustaining machinery (ventilators, dialysis).
  • Whether or not you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops.
  • Tube feeding and other life-sustaining processes.
  • Organ or tissue donation.

A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

A durable power of attorney for health care is a document that names your healthcare proxy, or someone you trust to make health decisions if you are unable to do so. 

Policies

While all of these documents play a very important role as to how healthcare decisions are made on your behalf, it is the policy of the Reading Hospital SurgiCenter that we DO NOT honor these documents during your episode of care at the facility due to the fact that we are an elective surgical facility.

If you have an Advance Directive, Living Will, or A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, please do bring it with you for your visit to the Reading Hospital SurgiCenter. We will place these in your medical record for reference in the unlikely event you are transferred to the hospital where they may be future utilized. 

Resources

If you do not have an Advance Directive and would like more information, please contact our office at 484-628-3050 and we will be happy to provide it to you. Or you may access the following websites for further information: