- An advance medical directive (AMD) is a legal document instructing doctors that a patient does not want artificial life support should he become terminally ill
- The AMD Act defines a terminal illness as:
- An incurable condition caused by injury or disease
- No reasonable prospect of temporary or permanent recovery
- Death would be imminent regardless of the use of extraordinary life-sustaining treatment
- Life support would only serve to postpone the moment of death
- Certification of terminal illness
- At least three doctors, one of whom is the patient’s regular hospital doctor
- At least two of the three doctors must be specialists
- Decision must be unanimous
- If decision cannot be made, a panel of three doctors appointed by MOH will make the determination
- None of the doctors certifying terminal illness may be a beneficiary of the patient’s estate
- Life-sustaining treatment is defined as any medical procedure or measure which will only prolong the dying process. It does not apply to palliative care.
- Palliative care is the provision of reasonable medical measures for the aim of relieving suffering, and reasonable provision of food and water
- Making an AMD
- Requirements
- At least 21 years of age
- Must be of sound mind
- Two witnesses, at least one of whom must be a medical practitioner
- Both witnesses must be at least 21 years of age
- Medical practitioner must ensure that the patient is
- Not mentally disordered
- At least 21 years of age
- Has made the AMD voluntarily and without being coerced
- Understands the implications of the AMD
- Obtain an AMD form and submit it to the registry of Advance Medical Directives
- Requirements
- AMDs may be revoked at any time in the presence of one witness, either orally or in writing
- Family members are legally not allowed to intervene and overrule an AMD
- AMD is not euthanasia, which is the deliberate ending of life of a suffering person by unnatural means. The AMD merely prevents a doctor from prolonging life artificially where there is no hope of recovery.
Advance Medical Directive
jenweiying
2018-01-30T16:37:05+00:00