The Connection OnlineSM
February 2010
Advance directive documentation
The Federal Patient Self-Determination Act (PDF) pertains to end-of-life care (advance directives) provided to patients in a facility or institutional setting, namely hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health services, and Medicare Advantage organizations, including those that contract with Asuris TruAdvantage.
Although providers in an outpatient setting are not specifically addressed, we believe that discussing end-of-life care with patients receiving care in this setting and acknowledging an existing advance directive is consistent with the intent of this act. Therefore, we request that the physician or other health care professional document, in a prominent location within the Medicare patient's paper or electronic medical record, whether or not the patient has executed an advance directive.
When a patient presents his or her provider with an advance directive, a copy of the document should be added to the patient's medical record.