Advance directives are documents that should be written in advance of serious illness or injury. These documents, the living will and durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC), allow you to share your wishes for medical interventions with your family and the health care team. The living will relates your desires regarding interventions and treatments in the event a life threatening occurrence affects your physical and mental capacity. The DPAHC allows you to name a person to make health care decisions for you should you be unable to make them yourself.

Federal regulations require health professionals to ask if you have advance directives. If these documents are available, please bring a copy with you to the hospital so it can be placed in your medical record. If you do not have a living will and DPAHC completed, Advance Directives, a guide to planning your medical care options, is available in the admissions and pastoral services departments. Since completing an advance directive takes some time, please notify a staff member as soon as possible of your intentions so the social services or pastoral services offices may be called. A representative from either department will provide assistance to you and your family in completing these forms. Both the living will and DPAHC may be changed as your options for medical care evolve.

Advance Directives, a guide to planning your medical care options, is available in the admissions and pastoral services departments. Please be aware that advance directives may vary from state to state.