LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Understand and identify whether a patient is "decisional."
2. Learn about patient autonomy for children and adolescents.
3. Learn who has decision making powers for children and adolescents.
4. Recognize factors that impact the incidence of medical errors.
5. Learn about disclosure, release of information and confidentiality under HIPPA.

OVERALL DESCRIPTION

In dealing with those who are chroncially and/or terminally ill, one's ethical decisions truly can have life and death consequences. But now, the complicated interactions between providers, patient, family, governmental regulations, practice parameters, and payers for this health care make it ever more difficult for a patient to make a decision. How can non-medical therapists help a patient understand the changing medical research, when we are torn between the desire for eternal life and the cost of achieving that, when we consider the increasing number of people with no access to health care, and when the money supply is limited and medical demand insatiable? And what if the patient cannot speak for himself or herself?

Further, when the patient is an adolescent, the complications increase. Who controls what the adolescent can know about his or her condition? Who makes the decisions?

The four speakers in this program will try to shed some light on these situations.

Interviews 1 and 2

1.  Tonya Manselle, LCSW    "Decision Making"

Ms. Manselle decision making in serious medical situations, urging the mental health practitioner to be the patient advocate, lobbying for full information. She defines the standard for being "decisional," guardianship, advanced directives, and discusses the role of ageism as a deterent to objective decision making.

2.  Peter Wolf, LCSW    "Decision Making with Seriously ill Adolescents"

Mr. Wolf discusses the rights of children to know their diagnosis and who legally has the right to tell the child. He explains how a therapist could intervene and help the child make the decisions the child is able to make.

Interviews 3 and 4

3.  Margot Escott, LCSW       "Medical Errors"

Ms. Escott explains why medical error training is important for non-medical health providers and discusses the most common errors that occur.

4.  Sandra Nye, MSW, JD     "Understanding HIPAA"

Then we will look at the ever baffling and worrisome topic of HIPAA. Should we be paranoid about it or should we view it as good for our patients and therefore, for us? Sandra Nye, attorney and social worker explains why it is in everyone's best interest to comply with these regulations.