In our modern times of overall progress in medical science which prolongs the survival of a patient it is of outmost importance to establish an instrument to safeguard the patient's autonomy of his advance decision as regards the decisions relating to the patient's death.
In the Slovene legal system, the institute of living will allows a patient with mental capacity to comply with their will about what kind of medical care they refuse if they find themselves in a position of loss of ability to make decisions about themselves. This legal construct is regulated by law as a right to respect the patient’s pre-expressed living will, but it is deficient, since it restricts the patient's self-determination regarding their own death. The institute is not well known in the public.
A problem that arises with the construct of the living will in Slovenia is the limited scope of pre-expressed will to only two cases of legally valid refusal of medical care. These are the terminal stages of the disease that, despite of medical science achievements, would lead to death and illness or an injury causing severe disability. It is also a problem that the pre-expressed living will of the patient is binding on the doctor only in the case of the terminal phase of the disease. In the case of severe disability, it is considered as a guideline when deciding on treatment. The availability of a pre-expressed living will on the health insurance card is still not guaranteed, which poses a problem regarding the physician's systematic awareness of the patient's pre-expressed living will. The limitations cited given the pre-expressed living will of the patient raise reasonable doubt as to whether the current arrangement is appropriate.
It is important, to ensure the adequate legislation of the institute Living Will in Slovenia, as it is a sensitive area related to the end of human life. It would be advisable to look up to the regulations of England and Spain, which restrict patients significantly less from exercising the right of the living will.
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