Advances in medical technology and therapies have made end-of-life health
care decision making very complex. The legal issues relating to the process of
dying and the determination of death will be explored at this seminar.
Legal considerations relating to treatment decisions at the end-of-life,
including Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, living wills, health care proxies and
cessation of artificial support systems, will be discussed. The authors will
explore who can and should be empowered to make end-of-life treatment decisions,
and how to manage ethical and legal challenges that can sometimes arise from
end-of-life decisions. What are the appropriate roles of the health care
provider, the family, the lawyers, the guardian ad litem, the court and others
in such cases? What kind of proper advance planning can avoid problems and
disputes in these types of matters? This publication will provide guidance on
these issues.
Topics include:
- The legal issues involved in planning for end-of-life, including advance
directives, health care proxies, DNR orders, living wills and the initiation
and cessation of artificial support systems, such as artificial nutrition and
hydration;
- A view of the decision-making process in end-of-life cases from the
perspective of the patient, the family and the medical provider;
- The role of lawyers, guardians ad litem and the courts in end-of-life
cases;
- The applicable legal and medical standards in end-of-life cases; and
- Ethical issues related to the roles of attorneys, medical providers and
family members in end-of-life decision-making.
Sponsoring Sections: Health Law Section
Probate Law Section