Patient Self-Determination Act

Excerpt

Patient Self Determination Act (PDSA) was an amendment proposed in 1990 and functions to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act (Medicare and Medicaid, respectively). The PSDA mandates that hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice organizations, home health organizations, and HMO's perform a number of specific actions and ensure that other certain conditions are met. Among those mentioned above, it is required that patients be informed of their right to be involved in making decisions with regard to the medical care they receive. It is also required that the patient is asked about advance directives, and to document any wishes the patient might have with regard to the care they want or do not want. It required that no discrimination take place by any healthcare organization against any patient putting forth advance directives. It mandates that patient advance directives be implemented if necessary, assuming those wishes are legally valid and permissible by State law. It requires education programs including advance directives, bioethics, patient wishes, and the concept of patient self-determination. The PDSA went further to instruct the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate an investigative study reviewing the implementation of advance directive decisions. PDSA also asked to create and perform projects in specific locations across the country to build awareness of patient rights in the area of advance directives and executing advance directives.