2005 Press Releases
Rome Memorial Hospital hosts free healthcare proxy workshop at Health Night ROME – Although the Terry Sciavo case has been the most public example of the dilemma families face when there’s no written documentation about life-sustaining treatments, this issue plays out more frequently than people realize in hospitals and nursing homes across the nation. “Terry Schiavo has taught us the importance of documenting our wishes to ensure that those wishes are followed when we can’t make decisions for ourselves,” said Rome Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer Marybeth McCall, M.D. “The question we must ask is who will speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself?” Rome Memorial Hospital will host a workshop 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, in its 1st floor classrooms to provide information to the community about health care proxies. A health care proxy allows individuals to designate another person as their agent, or proxy, with the authority to make health care decisions for them if they become incapacitated and can't speak for themselves. Dr. McCall will guide participants through the process of completing a healthcare proxy during the free Health Night workshop. Wallet-sized proxy cards will be available. “Too often disagreements about medical decisions create a family rift when adult children have differing perceptions about their aging parents’ wishes,” Dr. McCall said. “Each may have their own understanding and want to do what they think is right. When Mom and Dad name one person as their proxy, they trust that individual to carry out the wishes that they’ve discussed or documented.” “New York State has given us a gift in the health care proxy legislation to protect our right of self-determination,” Dr. McCall said. “We should take advantage of advance directives to ensure that our wishes are followed and protect our families from arguments that can cause irreparable harm to relationships.” Dr. McCall earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Manhattan College and completed her residency in internal medicine at University Health Science Center after graduating from Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. McCall is board certified in internal medicine and medical management. She earned her master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. McCall previously served as the Chief Medical Officer at Crouse Hospital. The health care proxy workshop is free. Advance registration is not required. For more information, please call 338-7143. | 