Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 111: Of Proxies and POLSTs: The Good and the Bad in End of Life Planning

As a set of standing medical orders, the POLST approach is inflexible. Straightforwardly following orders created outside of a particular situation may be ill-advised, improper and even harmful to the patient.

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Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationSeptember 30, 2014Health Care Proxy-Surrogate, End-of-Life Issues, Advance Directives

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 094: Going Too Far with DNR?

These judgments are tricky to make, because the specifics of each case differ, and those specifics change with time and disease progression. DNR’s should be put in place only when the circumstances warrant it, that is to say, on a case-by-case, patient-specific basis.

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Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationApril 30, 2013Proportionate and Disproportionate Means, End-of-Life Issues, Advance Directives, DNRs

Making Sense of Bioethics: Column 020: Should I Have a Living Will?

Better than a living will, or at least together with it, we should always choose a surrogate, a living person, who will make health care decisions in real time on our behalf if we are rendered unable to do so.

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Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, PhD—Director of EducationFebruary 28, 2007Health Care Proxy-Surrogate, Advance Directives

“Making Sense of Bioethics” CMS