Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Recent national end-of-life debates have increased awareness of the need for advance directives--or "living wills"--and the individual's responsibility for those decisions.
Dr. Robert K. Collins of Mississippi State said clinicians at the university's comprehensive health care facility long have encouraged patients to make end-of-life decisions while they're able.
"It's a burden you don't want to place on your family; it's unfair to ask them to read your mind during a time of crisis," the Longest Student Health Center director said.
With the Mississippi Advance Health-Care Directive now available at the health center's Web site at http://www.health.msstate.edu/forms/index.php, Collins is encouraging individuals to complete the form, have it notarized, and make family members and primary physicians aware of their wishes.
"It can be completed in only a few moments," he explained, adding that the original document should be stored in a safe, accessible location and a copy filed with the individual's primary physician.
"It's important that everyone have one, because accidents can happen any time," Collins said.
Mississippi's advance directive form allows individuals to designate a power of attorney for health care, as well as expressing wishes about the provision, withholding, or withdrawing of treatment that will extend life.
Collins said that individuals receiving health care outside of Mississippi should discuss advance directives with individual providers at the time of hospital admission.