[WSBAPT] Health care directives not respected with "elective" surgery

[Mimi Wagner]

Colleagues, 

 

A client checked in for long-anticipated, important heart related surgery at
a major King County hospital recently, and was told that the health care
directives that the client had executed would not be respected by the
hospital because this was "elective" surgery.  The hospital representatives
told the client that if anything went wrong during the "elective" heart
related surgery, and the client went into a permanent unconscious condition
or a terminal condition, the hospital would keep the client alive by any
means necessary.  Despite numerous arguments put forth by the client and
others with the client, the hospital would not budge, so the client
cancelled the "elective" heart surgery, which the client really needed to
have.    

 

I suppose this may be the RCW 70.122.060 "Procedures by physician-Health
care facility or personnel may refuse to participate" exception in action?  

 

I am shocked about this and am wondering if anyone has insight into this
problem.  What is the solution?  That the patient has to check with the
facility far in advance every time there is any "elective" surgery on the
horizon, to make sure health care directives will be respected?    Do all
hospitals refuse to honor health care directives in any case for "elective"
surgery?   

 

Mimi M. Wagner 

Attorney at Law
 <mailto:mimi at sanjuanlaw.com> mimi at sanjuanlaw.com
Phone (360) 378-6234
Fax (360) 378-6244
 <http://www.sanjuanlaw.com/> www.sanjuanlaw.com

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