This tab collects the information needed to complete the Oregon statutory Advance Directive form and to add supplemental instructions that clarify the client’s wishes. The selections made here populate the representative appointment sections and optional guidance that appears within the directive.
The interview organizes these choices into several areas that correspond to portions of the statutory form.
Determine Health Care Representatives and Successors
You must first select how many levels of Health Care Representatives the client wishes to designate, up to four levels. Once the number of levels is selected, you will enter the individuals who will serve in each role. Representatives are chosen from the people entered in earlier tabs.
You may also appoint Co-Representatives at any level if the client wishes more than one person to act together.
This structure ensures that someone is authorized to make medical decisions for the client even if the first choice is unavailable.
If Co-Representatives are appointed, an instruction will be added to the Addendum to the Advance Directive that states that Co-Representatives are expected to consult with one another and attempt to reach agreement when making health care decisions. However:
If an urgent decision is required and not all Co-Representatives are available, the first-named available representative may act alone.
If the Co-Representatives cannot agree, authority shifts to the successor Representatives in the order listed in the directive.
Complete the Client Healthcare Preferences
The Client Healthcare Preferences section of the Advance Directive tab allows you to include general guidance regarding how the client would like health care decisions to be handled. Selections made add supplemental instructions that into Section 3A of the statutory for and can include:
- Confirm the representative’s authority to manage the client’s health care decisions
- Allow the representative to make decisions regarding life-support treatment
- Authorize the representative to hire or discharge medical providers
- Allow the representative to coordinate with the client’s financial agent to pay for medical care
- Express a preference that treatment focus on comfort and pain relief
Section 3A of the statutory form presents three situations in which a client may express wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment. The system does not select any options for the specific scenarios presented in the statutory form; instead it adds narrative instructions where permitted in the form.
End-of-Life Care Location Preference
The Client Healthcare Preferences section of the Advance Directive tab also allows you to indicate a client preference regarding where they would like to receive end-of-life care. If a location is selected (for example, at home), the Advance Directive will include a statement in Section 4A of the Advance Directive of preference guiding the Health Care Representative. This language is advisory and does not override medical feasibility, but it is intended to provide meaningful direction to the Health Care Representative. If the client prefers flexibility, the document may instead state that the decision is left to the agent’s discretion.
Organ Donation Wishes
The Client Healthcare Preferences section of the Advance Directive tab also allows you to indicate a client preference regarding organ donation. The client's preference will be included in Section 4C of the Advance Directive referring to an addendum to the Directive.