Anne Willingham is a Donation System Specialist for LifeGift in Ft. Worth, TX and has been involved with Hospital development and Family care for over 9 years. In addition to working in the OPO world, Anne has been the Director of Kidney Transplant Services at University Medical Center and Executive Director of the Great Plains Lions Eye Bank in Lubbock, TX. Anne has used her 23 years of Donation and Transplantation experience to empower hospital teams and develop critical care staff to navigate difficult situations and manage obstacles in the donation process.
Medical & Legal Aspects of Family Conflict with the Medical Team at End-of-Life
Providing support to a family who is in crisis can be challenging for healthcare professionals and Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs). The transition from medical treatment for recovery to end-of-life care is often met with disbelief and denial by the patient’s family. This webinar will highlight the significant medical, ethical, and legal aspects of family objection to end-of-life treatment. Key areas of focus will include issues related to the challenges that the medical team faces when a family does not want specific tests carried out to make a determination of death or does not agree with termination of medical support after the declaration of death. State accommodations for religious beliefs regarding death as well as the implementation of State legislation regarding neurologic death will also be reviewed.