An advance health care directive outlines an individual’s health care plans if they cannot make decisions. It appoints a person to make decisions and is filed with the government. There are two parts: treatment instructions and appointing a healthcare worker. Forms are completed, signed, notarized, and given to relevant parties.
An advance health care directive is a set of specific instructions created by an individual that outlines their health care plans in the event that they are unable to make care decisions. Also known as an advance directive, advance decision, personal directive, or living will, these types of legal documents appoint a person to make decisions by the individual, who, at the time the directive is needed, cannot make decisions on their own. A health care advance directive is filed with the government, and copies are usually provided by the individual to their doctors and named individuals.
The idea behind advanced directives originated with the onset of advanced forms of medical technology. Although technology has increased by leaps and bounds, studies have shown that end of life care was still sorely lacking. Large numbers of people ended up in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and deaths were often prolonged and painful. This inspired the creation of the first advance health directives, which gave an individual an incontrovertible say in how they were treated near or at the end of life. It has since become a legally recognized decree and an important part of health law.
There are two parts to an advance directive on health care. The first part involves drafting detailed treatment instructions should end-of-life care become necessary. The directive may include the wishes of the patient regarding the use of life support equipment, medical technology and feeding devices, to name a few factors.
In Part Two of the Healthcare Advance Directive, an individual appoints a third party as a healthcare worker on their behalf. This could be a family member, friend or lawyer, and this person has the legal authority to make decisions for the individual. The agent is a vital role and those completing advance directives are generally advised not to take this decision lightly. The agent should be someone highly trusted, close enough to the individual to respect his or her personal wishes, and clear enough to make decisions under highly emotional circumstances.
There are a number of forms to complete when completing an Advance Care Directive. These forms include information about an individual’s agent, guidance regarding specific end-of-life treatment options, organ donation wishes, and contact information for the primary care physician. After the forms are completed, they are signed, notarized and filed with the government. Photocopies are given to the agent, general practitioners, and any other loved ones the individual deems appropriate.
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