Helping people prepare. Catholic healthcare facilities can give patients advice on advance directives

Although state courts have tended recently to allow surrogates to make healthcare treatment decisions for incompetent patients, the Missouri Supreme Court went against the trend by denying Nancy Cruzan's family the right to withdraw her artificial nutrition and hydration. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Missouri decision. At the same time, however, the Court's opinions strongly implied that it would uphold other state courts' decisions affirming the right of surrogates to make treatment decisions for incompetent patients. In his majority opinion, moreover, Chief Justice William Rehnquist upheld a competent person's liberty interest in refusing medical treatment, including artificial nutrition and hydration. Catholic healthcare facilities should be prepared to provide information to the many patients and long-term care residents seeking advice on advance directives as a result of the Court's ruling. Because living wills are proving to be less effective than many at first thought they would be, providers can best help individuals by giving them information on preparing proxy documents.