News/Events
News Release
St. John’s Offers Advance Directive Education
4/15/2009
Joplin, Mo. – St. John’s Regional Medical Center will celebrate National Healthcare Decisions Day April 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the St. John’s Main Lobby. St. John’s Pastoral Care members will staff a station to assist staff, visitors and general public with Health Care Directive information, materials and assistance.
The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) of 1991 guarantees individuals the right to express his or her wishes regarding end-of-life care while still in good health. PSDA also allows the right to name an agent or surrogate (Durable Power of Attorney For Health Care) who will guarantee that the patient’s wishes will be followed even when he or she is no longer able to express them.
St. John’s appreciates the importance of advance medical directives and is offering this service to help educate the public on the issue. While St. John’s Pastoral Care staff will be available to answer questions about advance medical directives on April 16, that is not the only time. They are available any other time as well to provide the same assistance on Health Directive issues.
“National Healthcare Decisions Day is a day to encourage us all to consider the reality of death and to make preparation for our own care according to our own faith and values at a time when we are fully able to do so,” Brian Giebler, St. John’s Chaplain said. “We want to educate people on the growing need for advance directives and give them tools to communicate their wishes.”
To contact St. John’s Pastoral Care, call 417.625.2475.
**We would like to invite all media to visit our Advance Healthcare Directive station in the Main Lobby on April 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
St. John’s Regional Medical Center has been leading the way in healthcare throughout the four-state area for more than 100 years. We are a 367-bed facility, serving 19 counties in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas. We provide state-of-the-art healthcare services, specializing in cardiology, orthopedics, neurosciences, and oncology. St. John’s has earned the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission. Additionally, we have been recognized by Thomson Healthcare with three 100 Top Hospital Awards (2006) and rated in the top 10% nationally by HealthGrades for critical care (2009).