Before a serious illness or injury occurs, you are encouraged to think and talk with loved ones about your wishes for end-of-life medical care. California law provides you with the ability to ensure that your health care wishes are known and considered if you become unable to make these decisions yourself.

Advance Health Care Directives are the legally recognized format for making your wishes known, including the types of special treatment you want or don’t want at the end of life as well as your desire for surgical intervention, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and organ donation. An advance directive also allows you to designate someone who will have legal authority to make health care decisions for you.

There are three key steps involved in making your wishes known:

Gather information for decision-making. Your physician is a good place to start for understanding your options for health care treatment at the end of life. You may also wish to consult with an attorney or with your religious leaders.
• Discuss your end-of-life decisions with loves ones. Talk about the specific medical treatments you want or don’t want, where you want to spend the time before you die (at home, in a hospital, or in a nursing home), and options for palliative care and pain management.
• Complete an Advance Care Directive Form. You have a legal right to express your health care wishes and have them considered in situations when you are unable to make these decisions yourself. The free form – in English and in Spanish – is posted on the Seton website at www.setonmedicalcenter.org.

Advance Health Care Directive for the State of California (English & Spanish)

Conflicts that may arise concerning decision-making about health care and treatment may be referred to the Ethics Committee. Anyone (staff members, physicians, family and patients) may access the Seton Medical Center Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee provides a forum for consultation and advice to hospital staff and/or patients and their families to assist in decision-making. Call (650) 991-6421 during the day or (650) 992-4000 during the evening to contact the Ethics Committee.

Seton Medical Center is making every effort to support organ and tissue donation. The hospital has a relationship with the California Transplant Donor Network. The Network serves as a link between doctors and those awaiting organ and tissue transplantation. For more information, please call (800) 553-6667.

You may also download a copy of A Catholic Guide to Critical End of Life Decisions: Advance Directives by Fr. Gerald Coleman, SS, Vice President, Corporate Ethics, Daughters of Charity Health System.

Available in: English/Spanish | Tagalog | Korean

For more information about Advance Health Care Directives go to www.nhdd.org.

This information is not legal advice; it is intended for informational purposes only. If you are unsure of your options, you should consult with your physician, lawyer or other trusted advisor.