Federal regulations require that we inform you of the following important issues and that we confirm with you that you have received the information. We will verify such on your preoperative call.
- Patient Rights: Your rights as a patient at a healthcare facility. Included is a description of the Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities.
- Advance Directive Information (Living Will / HealthCare Proxy):
The SouthPark Surgery Center’s (SPSC) policy on Advance Directives is as follows:
- You have the right to make choices regarding life-sustaining treatment, including resuscitative measures.
- As your procedure here is elective, SPSC cannot withhold treatment if an unexpected complication were to arise.
- If there is a need to transfer you to a hospital for additional care measures beyond what we can provide, your Advance Directive will be in your record and honored at the hospital or with your next caregiver upon your arrival.
- We are required to inquire about your legal directives regarding your medical care. However, you are not required to present an Advance Directive document before you have surgery in an ambulatory care surgery center.
- Included in your packet is a description of applicable State health and safety laws with resources for you to obtain your own copy.
- Please do not bring a blank Advance Directive form to the Center – it must be completed and witnessed prior to your surgery if you wish to include it in your patient record.
- Physician Ownership: Your surgeon may be a principal, or physician investor, in the SouthPark Surgery Center, which is a proud partner of Novant Health (see Appendix A). We are accredited by TJC Joint Commission. This official endorsement assures you of our commitment to meeting rigorous, nationally recognized standards for quality health care services. We want to offer our patients a compassionate, safe, cost-effective, alternative to hospital-based care. While SPSC has been recommended, the choice of where you would like to have your surgery is solely yours. If you would like us or your physician to provide you with alternative venues for your surgery, please tell us and we will inform you about other out-patient surgery choices.
Advance Directives/Living Will Information
An “advance healthcare directive” or “living will” lets your physician, family, and friends know your healthcare preferences, including the types of special treatment you want or don’t want at the end of life.
By considering your options early, you can ensure the quality of life that is important to you and avoid having your family “guess” your wishes or having to make critical medical care decisions for you under stress or in emotional turmoil.
This legal document describes how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including but not limited to:
- The use of life-sustaining machinery (ventilators, dialysis)
- Whether or not you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops
- Tube feeding and other life-sustaining processes
- Organ or tissue donation
A durable power of attorney for healthcare is another legal document that names your healthcare proxy. Your proxy is someone you trust to make health decisions if you are unable to do so.
While all of these documents play a very important role in how healthcare decisions are made on your behalf, it is the policy of SouthPark Surgery Center that we DO NOT honor Advance Directives during your episode of care at our facility.
If you have completed an Advance Directive, please bring it with you for your visit to SouthPark Surgery Center and we will place it in your medical record for reference in the unlikely event you are transferred to the hospital.
If you do not have an Advance Directive and would like more information, please contact our office at 704-295-3080, or:
- see the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services web site: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/direct.htm
- see the North Carolina Secretary of State web site: http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/ahcdr
- contact the U.S. Living Will Registry: http://liv-will1.uslivingwillregistry.com/individuals.html
S. Living Will Registry, 523 Westfield Ave., P.O. Box 2789 , Westfield, NJ 07091-2789
Phone: 1-800-LIV-WILL (1-800-548-9455) Fax: 1-908-654-1919
E-mail: admin@uslivingwillregistry.com