House Staff Manual - Winthrop University Hospital

Either the patient or person consenting to the DNR order either verbally or in writing at any time canrevoke the consent for the DNR order.The physician must renew the DNR order every seven days.If a patient is transferred to Winthrop-University Hospital from another health care facility, and a validDNR order was signed in the transferring facility, the DNR order shall remain in effect until thephysician examines the patient. Thereafter either a DNR order should be issued (no further consent isrequired from the patient, surrogate or health care agent) or the DNR order should be canceledprovided the physician immediately notifies the person who consented to the DNR order and thehospital staff directly responsible for the patient's care. If the physician fails to take an affirmative actto renew or revoke, the DNR order should remain in effect.68. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITYThe Hospital is committed to providing equal employment opportunity, in accordance with all applicablefederal, state and local civil rights laws. The Hospital does not discriminate with respect to hiring,promotion or any other terms or condition of employment on the basis of race, color, religion, nationalorigin, marital status, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, status as a disabled veteran, or veteran of theVietnam War era. Discrimination is not condoned in any of the Hospital’s activities.69. HEALTH CARE PROXY LAWWinthrop-University Hospital respects the rights of each adult patient to participate in health care decisionmaking to the maximum extent of his or her ability and respects the rights consistent with Federal and NewYork State law (See Hospital Policy P-30-4.)Each adult patient (18 and over) has the right to appoint another adult (18 and over) to make health caredecisions in the event that patient is unable to do so. This appointment is made through a Health CareProxy.A physician could be designated as a health care proxy agent but under those circumstances, the physiciancan no longer act as the patient’s physician.APPOINTING A HEALTH CARE PROXYInformation regarding how to appoint a health care agent is provided to each patient on admission. Thepatient can designate any adult to be the health care agent except a hospital employee unless that individualis a relative or was designated prior to the patient's admission. The patient may also appoint an alternateagent in the event the primary agent is not reasonably available, willing or capable to serve as the patient’shealth care agent.COMPLETION OF HEALTH CARE PROXY FORMPatients are encouraged to use the form provided on admission, but other forms may be accepted. In orderfor the health care proxy to be valid, the following elements must be included on the form:Name of adult who creates proxy (the principal)Name of agentStatement that the patient (principal) intends the agent to make health care decisions for him/herPatient's (principal's) signature and date ofsignatureRev. 1/08