Advance Directives
Willapa Harbor Hospital, in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations on Patient Rights, Free Choice,
Quality of Life, Self-Determination and Participation, and the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA), complies
to respect a patient’s right to make treatment decisions and to execute Advance Directives.
Advance Directives are a method by which patients may, voluntarily, provide written treatment direction regarding
possible future medical and/or behavioral health care needs and/or appoint a person or persons to act as their
medical/behavioral health care decision maker. Advance Directives are relied on by Willapa Harbor Hospital when:
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) instructions, including the Physician Orders For Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST).
the patient is no longer able to make medical treatment decisions or
the treatment direction is inconsistent with their current treatment need and their current condition.
If the Advance Directive includes a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Willapa Harbor Hospital will look to the
person appointed for health care treatment direction either while the patient is capacitated or incapacitated,
depending on the instructions in the Durable Power of Attorney document.
Advance Directives are prepared while a patient is still competent and before there is a medical need for the treatment
decision to be made. The most common types of Advance Directives, in Willapa Harbor Hospital setting, are:
The Health Care Directive (Directive to Physicians or Living Will,) including Mental Health Advance Directives
(MHADs).
The Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOAHC,) and
Call the our Health Information Management Department at 360-875-4512 with any questions.