Community - Terminology

Advance Directive

It is a legal document to be used if you become unable to speak on your own behalf.11 It will tell your doctor and your family exactly what medical choices you have made for yourself. It is also referred to as your Living Will.2

Allergies

An abnormal reaction of the body to a previously encountered allergen introduced by inhalation, ingestion, injection, or skin contact, often manifested by itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezing, skin rash, or diarrhea.3

Anatomical Gift

This is the donation of all or part of a human body that takes effect upon or after death. The declarant may wish to give some organs or tissue as a gift, or make no gift at all.2

Artificially or technologically supplied nutrition or hydration

The providing of food and fluids through intravenous or tube "feedings."11

Autonomy

The quality or state of being independent, free and self-directing. (4)

Biometric Technology

The technological measurement of physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, DNA or retinal patterns for use in verifying the identity of individuals. (5)

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR

Treatment to try to restart breathing or heartbeat. CPR may be done by breathing into the mouth, pushing on the chest, putting a tube through the mouth or nose into the throat, administering medication, giving electric shock to the chest, or by other means.11

Central Repository

A facility where things can be deposited for storage or safekeeping. (6) MLPH's central repository is an offline database where member's Advance Directives, medical histories, and healthcare information are stored.

Declarant

A declarant is the person who is signing the document and whose wishes are indicated in the document.2

Donor Registry Enrollment Form

A form that has been designed to allow individuals to specifically register their wishes regarding organ, tissue and eye donation with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Donor Registry.11

DNI

(Do Not Intubate) Intubation may be considered separately from resuscitation because a person can have trouble breathing or might not be getting enough oxygen before the heart actually stops beating or breathing stops (a cardiac or respiratory arrest).10

DNR

(Do Not Resuscitate) The medical order in which the declarant states that they do not wish to be administered heart resuscitation (CPR), or wish a tube placed in the trachea (airway to the lung) for breathing purposes.2

DNR CC

(DNR with Comfort Care) Any measure taken to diminish pain or discomfort, but not necessarily to prolong life, to include hydration and food, orally, intravenously, or by other means.2

Healthcare

Any medical (including dental, nursing, psychological, and surgical) procedure, treatment, intervention or other measure used to maintain, diagnose or treat any physical or mental condition.11

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Another document that allows me to name an adult person to act as my agent to make healthcare decisions for me if I become unable to do so.11

HIPAA

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") issued the Privacy Rule to implement the requirement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"). The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individual's health information, called "protected health information" by organizations subject to the Privacy Rule-called "covered entities," as well as standards for individuals' privacy rights to understand and control how their health information is used.1

Life-Sustaining Treatment

Any healthcare, including artificially or technologically supplied nutrition and hydration, that will serve mainly to prolong the process of dying.11

Living Will

A will in which the signer requests not to be kept alive by medical life-support systems in the event of a terminal illness. (8)

Major Medical Conditions

Cardiovascular Disorder/Disease, Respiratory Disorder/Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and Seizure Disorder are conditions that need to be noted in the My LifePlan Holdings, Inc.™ online Advance Directive Declaration. (9)

Permanent Unconscious State or Persistent Vegetative State (PVS)

An irreversible condition in which I am permanently unaware of myself and my surroundings. My physician and one other physician must examine me and agree that the total loss of higher brain function has left me unable to feel pain or suffering.11

Proxy or Attorney-In-Fact

Any healthcare, including artificially or technologically supplied nutrition and hydration, that will serve mainly to prolong the process of dying.
***Note: The Attorney-In-Fact or agent will have the power to authorize and refuse medical treatment for you in the event you do not fill out the Advance Directive (Living Will) Packet in its entirety and only fill out the Healthcare Power of Attorney section.2

Proxy Negation

A person not authorized to act for another as an agent or substitute. (5)

Real Time

The actual time in which a physical process under computer study or control occurs. (5)

Terminal Illness

An irreversible, incurable and untreatable condition caused by disease, illness or injury. My physician and one other physician will have examined me and believe that I cannot recover and that death is likely to occur within a relatively short time if I do not receive life-sustaining treatment.11

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