FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 31, 2005

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laurie Peacock
312-580-6497
(cell) 312-608-3620

"A Personal Decision"
ISMS Booklet Helps Guide Patients' Medical Care Decision-Making

Chicago – Today’s passing of Terri Schiavo, a 41-year-old patient at the heart of national legal, political and ethical debate, has again cast attention on the importance of medical care advance directives. To aid patients in taking charge of their own end-of-life medical care decisions, the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) is making available a booklet entitled A Personal Decision.

Advance directives are vital tools for patients to specify, in advance, the level of medical intervention they would like to receive if incapacitated, along with the individual to whom they would entrust decision-making authority for their medical treatment and care. Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities are required by law to provide information on advance directives to new patients.

“The best solution to such heart-wrenching situations is for patients to make known their treatment preferences before they are incapacitated,” noted Kenneth J. Printen, M.D., ISMS president. “A Personal Decision can guide patients through this important planning process.” The booklet includes:

• Summary of Illinois advance directives law, from the Illinois Department of Public Health;
• A living will form (Living wills allow patients to choose the level of medical intervention they would want to receive if terminally ill or injured);
• Illinois health care power of attorney form (Health care power of attorney allows patients to designate a medical decision-maker in the event of incapacity);
• Illinois declaration for mental health treatment form and notification card (details patient preferences for specific mental health treatments in event of mental illness/incapacity); and
• An organ donor card (Patients signing this card or the back of their Illinois driver’s license, authorize the donation of their organs upon death).

Anyone interested in receiving free-of-charge, a single copy of A Personal Decision should contact 800-782-4767, extension 6721, or e-mail purchasing@isms.org. Bulk orders of the booklet are also available. For additional information, visit www.isms.org/patient/personal.html.

www.isms.org

ISMS is a professional membership association representing over 14,000 physicians practicing in all specialties statewide. Dr. Printen is a general surgeon practicing in Evanston, Illinois.