<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Colleagues, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Mimi M. Wagner <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Attorney at Law<br><a href="mailto:mimi@sanjuanlaw.com"><span style='color:blue'>mimi@sanjuanlaw.com</span></a><br>Phone (360) 378-6234<br>Fax (360) 378-6244<br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.sanjuanlaw.com/"><span lang=EN style='color:blue'>www.sanjuanlaw.com</span></a></span><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>This email is sent by a law office and contains information that may be privileged and confidential, or protected by the work product doctrine. </span><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.0pt'>If you believe that it has been sent to you in error, do not read it. Please notify the sender that you have received the message in error, and then delete it. To comply with IRS rules, we must tell you that if this message contains advice relating to federal taxes, that advice was not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for avoiding penalties that may be imposed under federal tax law. </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>