The Patient Self-Determination Act became law is the U.S. in 1990. and was implemented in all health care institutions. As a result of this Act, all patients were guaranteed to be provided with pertinent information about their legal rights to identify in writing the care they wished to receive in the event that they became incapacitated and unable to make their own health care decisions.
In addition, this Act also guaranteed that upon admission to a health care facility, patients would be asked if they had an Advanced Health Care Directive. If the patient had one to give to the medical staff, it would be documented and included as part of the their medical records.
If the patient did not have an Advanced Directive, he or she must be offered the opportunity to sign one upon admission. That Directive would then become part of the patient’s medical records.