title: The Patient Self Determination Act: opportunity knocks again.
abstract: The recent Patient Self Determination Act (PSDA) gives patients the right to exercise greater control over the care they receive from health care facilities and programs during the final phases of their lives. Social work can make important contributions to health care facilities as they develop policies and programs for implementing the Act's provisions about advance directives and refusal and withdrawal of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College, PA 19010.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Soskis
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kerson
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005610:Freedom; D006801:Humans; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012947:Social Work / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States