CRMC-West 214 E. 23 St. Cheyenne, WY 82001
CRMC-East 2600 E. 18 St. Cheyenne, WY 82001
Health & Fitness 1620 E. Pershing, Cheyenne, WY 82001

(307) 634-CARE

End-Of-Life Decisions:

The end of life is a natural event. In order to make the right choice for you in end-of-life decision making there may be some special concerns: You may want to be sure that: you can share meaningful time with loved ones; death will come without a lot of suffering; dignity can be maintained.

This information is not a substitute for an informed discussion with a healthcare provider. Healthcare facilities policies or state laws may differ.

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center patient representatives can provide advance directive information. Please call (307) 633-7761.

You and your loved ones may share concerns as you face these important decisions. For example, when there appears to be little hope of recovery, you may consider these choices about care:

• Do you want all available treatment measures or only specific ones?

• Should care focus more on maintaining comfort?

It may be a hard choice but it will help to know that you can have greater peace of mind, and it can be reassuring to know that your final wishes will be respected.

In order to make an informed decision, talk with your healthcare provider about your treatment options and the facts of your medical condition. Healthcare facility ethics committees, social workers, and patient representatives can also help with your questions.

Remember, you are not alone. Share decisions about care with your loved ones, healthcare providers and your spiritual leaders.

You have choices when it comes to end-of-life care. To make a sound decision, you should know about your treatment options. Advances in medicine make it possible to keep patients alive longer, even when their bodies no longer work on their own; and these advances also can control pain and maintain comfort, allowing a peaceful death. Making care decisions

Your right to informed consent. Before you agree to any medical treatment, you have the right to know:

• the expected benefits of the treatment

• the procedures involved, and their potential risks and side effects

• possible alternatives

• how long you might be expected to live without treatment.
  What you should know about life-sustaining treatments

You have the right to refuse care as permitted by law. This means you may instruct healthcare providers to:

• withhold certain medical treatments

• withdraw treatment after it has started

• resume treatment if you change your mind.
  Deciding to limit or stop life-sustaining treatments

Advance medical directives allow you to spell out your wishes, in case one day you become unable to speak for yourself.

Advance directives include:

• living will —to outline the kinds of care you want or do not want

• durable power of attorney for health care, or health—car proxy, in which you name someone to make care decisions on your behalf.

Laws about medical directives vary from state-to-state.

More information and support may be found by talking to your healthcare provider about your end-of-life treatment options. Have him or her explain what each means. Find a healthcare provider who supports your right to make your own choices about end-of-life care.

Other healthcare facility staff may include:

• Patient representatives—Cheyenne Regional Medical Center patient representatives can be contacted at (307) 633-7761.

• mental health professionals

• social workers

• ethics committees

Your healthcare facility chaplains or other religious advisors can help you consider the teachings of your faith when making end-of-life decisions.

Organizations for information and referrals:

• Choice in Dying
  1-800-89-WILL (9455)

• Hospice Helpline of the National Hospice Organization
  1-800-658-8898

• Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Hospice
  (307) 633-7016

Your wishes matter and you can make choices about end-of-life care by knowing your treatment options, knowing your rights to make decisions, and making your wishes known.

This information is not a substitute for an informed discussion with a healthcare provider. Healthcare facilities policies or state laws may differ.

Disclaimer - CRMC's core values are to provide quality patient care and outstanding patient satisfaction to all our patients. Part of providing quality patient care and outstanding patient satisfaction is respecting your privacy rights and maintaining the confidentiality of your medical records. For more information on patient privacy please read our patient privacy policy. CRMC will not use or disclose your health information for any purpose not described in this Notice without your written authorization.

Health information provided on Cheyenne Regional Medical Center's web page is intended as a guideline and not as a specific medical protocol. Every actual medical situation - emergency or non-emergency - is unique to each individual, and requires the clinical judgment of a qualified physician. For more information, or clarification, we recommend that individuals contact their personal physician.

Our Web site may include information and other material prepared by other sources. We also link to other Internet sites and resources. This information and links are provided as a courtesy. We are not responsible for the availability, updating, and accuracy of any information provided on these outside sites or for the privacy or security of these outside sites.

The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for consultation with a doctor and a particular treatment plan. The material provided is not intended to create, and the receipt of it does not constitute, a doctor-patient relationship. Should you have any health-care-related question, you should contact a doctor and arrange a consultation. Any e-mail generated from this Web site may not be secure and is not intended to create, and the receipt of it does not constitute, a doctor-patient relationship. E-mail communication is not intended as a substitute for consultation with a doctor.