If you are having trouble getting an advance directive honored, for yourself or as a surrogate for another individual, help is a phone call away.

Our surrogate consultant, Althea Halchuck, will review the issue thoroughly with you and go over the advance directive. She will lay out your options to achieve compliance:

• your legal rights and those of the patient
• your authority as the only authorized representative of the patient
• The patient’s right to adequate pain relief
• the right to decline any or all medical treatment

Finally, if all these efforts do not resolve the issue, Althea will contact our FEN attorney to determine what legal avenues are available.

Our consultant will not suggest what medical treatment should or should not be given. She will help you enforce the advance directives of the patient.

Be assured that all of these consultations, including any legal action taken by our attorney, will be done at no cost. We will not bill you, the patient, or the health insurance company.

You can reach Althea in two ways:

Email : fensurrogate@gmail.com
Phone: 866-654-9156

Althea will respond to you as quickly as possible, generally within 24 hours. If you have an acute problem, please indicate that you need an immediate reply, and we will try to ensure that happens.

Click here for an explanation of the surrogate program.

Click here for tips on choosing an effective surrogate.

Click here to read about Althea in our Winter 2021 magazine.

Click here for language to use when facing pushback from medical or hospice staff.

Click here for tips on choosing an advance directive.