ADVANCE DIRECTIVES -- LIVING WILLS

On January 11, 1992, a New Jersey law took effect which mandates that all health care facilities ask Patients whether they have an Advance Directive or Living Will. At New Horizon Surgical Center we have made this part of the admitting process. 

If you have an Advance Directive or Living Will, please bring a copy of it with you to the center on the day of your procedure. While you are a patient at New Horizon Surgical Center, your Advanced Directive will not be honored. Should you be transferred to a hospital, a copy of your Advanced Directive will be sent with you. 

An Advance Directive or Living Will is used by an individual to indicate their voluntary, informed voice of accepting, rejecting, or choosing among alternative courses of medical treatment. 

An Advance Directive or Living Will is a document which allows you to give written instruction to those caring for you indicating the type of health care you would wish to receive or reject in the event you become unable to express these decisions yourself. 

There are three (3) different types of Advance Directives: 

1) A Proxy Directive
This is a document in which a competent adult names a trusted relative or friend to make health care decisions on their behalf when they are unable to make these decisions. 

2) An Instruction Directive
In this document, the person writing it provides written instructions concerning the type of medical treatment they want or do not want performed for them and under what circumstances. 

3) A Combined Directive
In this document, a competent adult stated their general wishes regarding the kind of health care they wish to receive but appoints a trusted relative or friend to carry them out. 

A brochure containing living will information is available from the Division of Aging. 
If you wish to receive the brochure, please make your request to: 

     The Division of Aging
     101 South Broad Street
     CN 807
     Trenton, NJ, 08625

Do you have an ADVANCED DIRECTIVE or LIVING WILL? Yes or No
If yes, please send it or bring it to the Center prior to your scheduled procedure and speak with one of our helpful Nursing staff.

Prior to your procedure you will be required to sign a sheet with the above information indicating you have been made aware of the above information and its implications.