Establishing Advanced Health Directives

Advanced health directives are instructions for medical professionals detailing exactly what kind of treatment you would like in the event that you are not able to make medical decisions for yourself. Advanced directives can come in many forms – ranging from a written living will to an actual person who serves as a medical proxy.

Depending on your age, health, or specific medical condition, an advanced health directive may be a good idea, especially if you have specific wishes for how you will or will not be treated. The following tips will help you understand what is necessary to establish an advanced health directive, if this is your wish.

Establishing an Advanced Directive

Creating an advanced health directive does not have to be a complicated procedure. It can be done simply and easily in the comfort of your own home. To make your medical wishes known, you can:

• Request a form from your medical professional
• Request a form from a legal professional
• Write your wishes down on your own
• Use computer software with legal document templates

Laws on advanced directives vary from state to state, and so no matter which of the above options you use, you should make sure that you comply with the laws in your state. Once you have established your wishes, show your directive to a medical professional to make sure that it is understandable.

Finally, you should have your wishes notarized and provide copies to your family as well as your health care provider.

Contact Us

If you are interested in establishing an advanced health directive, or if you would like more information on the topic, contact the Minneapolis health care declaration lawyers at Skjold ▪ Barthel, P.A. today by calling 612-746-2560.