Definitions

ADVANCE DIRECTIVE

An advance directive has two parts:

1. LIVING WILL

A legally binding document, stating your requests for medical treatment at the end of your life. This document is only used in the instance you cannot make your wishes known yourself.

2. HEALTH CARE PROXY

A person, appointed by you, who will make health care decisions on you behalf if you are unable to make those decisions yourself. These decisions include:

  • Choices about medical care (tests, treatments, surgeries)
  • Requesting or Declining life-support treatments
  • Pain management choices
  • The right to admit you to treatment facilities
  • The right to apply for Medicare or Medicaid, or other programs, on your behalf

Also known as: Health Care Power of Attorney, Medical Power of Attorney, Health Care Agent, Authorized Representative

PALLIATIVE CARE

According to the Center to Advance Palliative Care, “palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient’s prognosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment.”

Go to caringinfo.org to learn more about palliative care.

DELAWARE MEDICAL ORDERS FOR SCOPE OF TREATMENT (DMOST)

A document signed by both a patient or their representative and the patient’s health care practitioner stating the patient’s wishes for medical treatment at the end of their life. This is different to an advance directive because:

  • It is available for patients with approximately one year to live
  • It is a document based on a conversation between the patient and their medical practitioner
  • It becomes medical orders after being signed by the medical practitioner
  • It travels with the patient through all aspects of the health care field.

In other states this form is called the Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST).

Go to polst.org to learn more about the National POLST Paradigm.