The Patient Self-Determination Act, adopted in 1991, enables adults to make choices for themselves about medical services, therapies, drugs, and treatments they receive if they couldn't communicate their wishes. This law requires that clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare organizations inform patients about their right to authorize treatments in a document called an advance medical directive.
Use of the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) guidelines and formation of similar Advance Directive records in the pediatric setting are developing gradually considering their very clear necessity as we have witnessed this last year and are now being sought for a wide variety of protections. It is our emphatic belief that all people ought to be familiar with the potential of these legal documents to protect them from coercion, harassment, discrimination, medical malpractice, accidental or wrongful injury, to guard against financial loss and provide evidential aid to litigation should their right to choose be violated.
