PRINTER'S NO. 1799
No. 246 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY ERICKSON, PILEGGI, RAFFERTY, KASUNIC, FONTANA,
ARMSTRONG, WONDERLING, FERLO, BROWNE, BOSCOLA, ORIE,
TOMLINSON, STACK, O'PAKE, C. WILLIAMS, MUSTO, FOLMER, PIPPY,
WASHINGTON, COSTA, WOZNIAK, GREENLEAF, FUMO, KITCHEN, EARLL,
RHOADES, BAKER, McILHINNEY AND D. WHITE, FEBRUARY 26, 2008
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 26, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating April 16, 2008, as "Healthcare Decisions Day" in
2 Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, "Healthcare Decisions Day" is a component of a
4 national effort designed to raise public awareness of the
5 importance of planning ahead for health care decisions whenever
6 patients are unable to speak for themselves; and
7 WHEREAS, "Healthcare Decisions Day" seeks to encourage the
8 specific use of advance health care directives, such as a living
9 will or a health care power of attorney, to communicate these
10 important health care decisions; and
11 WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania, the act of November 29, 2006
12 (P.L.1484, No.169) provides a statutory means for all competent
13 adults to control their health care either directly through a
14 living will, indirectly through a health care power of attorney
15 or through a health care agent or representative who can express
16 and have honored their preferences with respect to end-of-life
1 health care decisions when there is no advance directive; and
2 WHEREAS, Not all Pennsylvanians have a living will or other
3 document to set forth their preferences for end-of-life care;
4 and
5 WHEREAS, A significant reason for the lack of a living will
6 or health care power of attorney may be a lack of knowledge and
7 confusion about advance directives for health care; and
8 WHEREAS, One of the primary goals of "Healthcare Decisions
9 Day" is to increase awareness and public knowledge of the
10 benefits of advance health care directives so that
11 Pennsylvanians will be familiar with how to obtain and complete
12 a living will or health care power of attorney and have
13 conversations with others concerning their decisions and
14 preferences for health care; and
15 WHEREAS, This awareness will encourage more Pennsylvanians to
16 have conversations about their health care decisions and execute
17 a living will, and fewer families and health care providers will
18 have to struggle with making difficult health care decisions in
19 the absence of guidance from the patient; and
20 WHEREAS, The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of
21 Pennsylvania, along with its members, have endorsed and are
22 committed to educating the public about the importance of
23 discussing health care decisions and executing advance health
24 care directives; therefore be it
25 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate April 16, 2008, as
26 "Healthcare Decisions Day" in this Commonwealth and encourage
27 all families to discuss end-of-life decisions and to consider
28 executing advance health care directives.
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