Your doctor, Akron General Medical Center and all of the physicians and nurses who care for you are dedicated to helping you maintain the best possible state of health. If, despite their best efforts, the time ever comes when further treatment is without benefit to you, a decision must be made whether to continue such treatment or not. Akron General has established these guidelines to aid in this very personal and difficult decision.

Who Can Make These Decisions?
A competent patient (a patient able to make a rational decision based on adequate information) has the right to decide whether or not to begin or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Informed Consent means that the patient has been informed of the risks, complications and alternatives and agrees to the planned procedure or treatment.

If a patient is not capable to make a decision on level of care, the physician must look to family and others for direction. In Ohio consent can be given by court-appointed guardians, individuals with a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and family members.

When life-sustaining treatment decisions need to be made for a patient in a terminal condition or a permanently unconscious state, the physician will look at advanced directives including a Living Will or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

Living Will
Allows you to indicate preferences regarding withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, if you are no longer competent.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
Allows you to appoint someone to make health care decisions for you if you are not able.

These forms are also available in our Admitting Office, from the Department of Clinical Social Work and on our nursing units.