VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
TEXAS RIGHT TO LIFE: Right now in Texas a doctor can take away your medical care even if you or your family object.
Representative Stephanie Klick is a Registered Nurse and patient advocate. She ran for office to protect a patient’s right to Life by changing the law.
KLICK: One of the ones I was very involved in that was particularly touching to me was actually a man. He was 51 years old, very athletic, and was playing competitive soccer and was hit in the chest. He suffered a cardiac arrest as a result. And although the only Life-sustaining treatment he needed was nutrition and hydration, because of his brain injury he was unable to swallow. He would open his eyes and track. He had, at that point, not undergone any rehab.
But, the hospital ethics committee met and decided to withhold Life-sustaining treatment, which, for this man, the only Life-sustaining treatment he needed was nutrition and hydration — he needed to be fed.
We were able to transfer this patient [to another hospital]. This happened a couple of years ago and he’s still living and doing much better than he was.
TEXAS RIGHT TO LIFE: When a patient and doctor disagree on basic Life-sustaining treatment, who should have the power to make the final decision?
KLICK: I believe patients and families should have the final decision. This is not something that once you go forward that you can undo. If care is stopped or denied, these patients’ lives may end.
TEXAS RIGHT TO LIFE: How do you know that your constituents want reform?
KLICK: When you look at the opposition to Obamacare right now, one of the fundamental issues is that people want to be able to make their own healthcare decisions. And this is really no different. This is an infringement on patients’ and families’ abilities to make their healthcare decisions, and we need to change the law so that they are in charge.