Who will speak for you if you can’t?

If you’re over the age of 40 or so, you likely recall the Terri Schiavo case. The story about a family fighting over the fate of a 26-year-old woman on life support riveted – and divided – the nation for years. (See below)

And you probably have an opinion on it. But did it prompt you to designate someone to speak for you if you’re ever in Terri’s position and unable to make your own medical decisions? If you’ve delayed taking action, Novant Health can help.

The Choices and Champions® program helps you, the patient, consider healthcare decisions based on what’s important to you. The decisions should be yours.

The time to pick a healthcare Champion is before a crisis occurs. It’s never too early to decide whom you’d trust to speak for you. Any of us could have an out-of-the-blue accident or illness. Preparation is key.

That person – a spouse, partner, family member or friend – may be able to speak for you if you can’t speak for yourself about how far or long you want care to continue in the face of a devastating medical situation.

Choices and Champions has two goals:

If you haven’t yet designated a healthcare Champion – and made your wishes clear to that person – you should do it before having a medical procedure or before a medical crisis occurs. It’s a good idea to name your healthcare Champion in a health care power of attorney and to update your healthcare team of your wishes. Your healthcare wishes and preferences can be documented in a legal document called a Living Will.

Your provider or healthcare team can add your healthcare Champion or your healthcare agent to your medical record.

A private matter goes public

The painfully prolonged and very public Terri Schiavo case is an extreme example of what can happen when someone winds up in a coma or persistent vegetative state – with no hope of recovery and no living will or healthcare directive.

Terri suffered cardiac arrest at her home in 1990. When her husband, Robert, found her, face-down and unconscious, he called 911. She had no pulse when medics arrived, and they were unable to resuscitate her. She was intubated, ventilated and fed through a feeding tube.

Doctors determined she had no hope of improvement. Her husband contended Terri wouldn’t want a machine to keep her alive. Her parents argued that she would, citing the family’s Catholic faith.

The case prompted a heated national debate over quality of life, the right to live and the right to die with dignity. Terri’s husband and her parents litigated for years while she lay in a persistent vegetative state. Their legal wrangling was a tragedy on top of a tragedy.

Now, imagine your spouse, your parents, your grown children having to guess: Would you want any and all measures taken to keep you alive, no matter the chances of regaining consciousness?

These decisions are ones we’d rather make for ourselves. Terri Schiavo was only 26 when she collapsed and never recovered. The unthinkable can happen anytime.

For your own peace of mind, talk to family members, your spouse or partner and friends. Designate a healthcare Champion/agent and tell that person what living well means to you. Your healthcare Champion/agent should know what’s important to you and be committed to honoring your wishes, even if those aren’t what they would want for themselves.

Choose your healthcare Champion/agent

Healthcare decisions can be complicated – and torturous for someone else to make on your behalf. That’s why it’s crucial to talk to your healthcare Champion/agent about what you want and don’t want. A healthcare Champion/agent should be someone who can:

• Speak knowledgably about your health condition, symptoms and medical history.
• Pay attention to all important facts and details when making decisions and be available to help follow up with treatment plans.
• Understand their duties and be seriously committed to fulfilling them.
• Work well with others who may be involved in your life and care.
• Be trusted to do their best to ensure your wishes are known and honored.
• Stand up for your rights.
• Be available when needed.

Make it official

As mentioned above, once you’ve identified your healthcare Champion, designate this person as your official healthcare agent with an advance directive known as a health care power of attorney, a document that gives your healthcare Champion the legal authority to speak for you.

If you don’t have a health care power of attorney, someone designated by the state will make medical decisions for you. Novant Health provides the forms you’ll need here.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact Novant Health’s Choices and Champions at 844-677-5134 or Choices and Champions | Novant Health . After completing your health care power of attorney, be sure to provide a copy to your healthcare team, healthcare agent(s), and anyone else who might need a copy. Keep the original document in a safe place – but one that’s easy to access if needed in an emergency.

What end-of-life care means – and doesn’t mean

An end-of-life care plan does not mean that physicians or other providers won’t treat the patient if the situation becomes dire. That’s a common misconception.

It does mean that certain treatments may be stopped or withheld because they don’t align with your stated wishes. No matter what your choice, your healthcare will be delivered with your comfort and dignity in mind.