Delaware Health Act

The Health Act governs how health care providers document and carry out a patient's treatment wishes, with particular attention to serious illness, end-of-life care, and conditions involving cognitive decline such as Alzheimer's disease. Its principal mechanism is a standardized physician order form that translates a patient's stated preferences about life-sustaining treatment into clinician-signed medical orders meant to travel with the patient and be honored across care settings. The act also addresses the personnel responsible for administering these provisions and the handling of donations made in connection with the programs it creates.

Editorial summary generated from the text of this act. It is not part of the statute — read the sections below for the operative language.