What is an advance health care directive?
An advance health care directive is a legal document that allows a person (the “Principal”) to state his or her decisions and intentions about what kind of health care he or she wants when the person is not capable of making health care decisions. This document helps to ensure that health care decisions on behalf of the Principal are made with a consent that is informed by the Principal’s intentions.
An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) allows individuals to appoint an agent who has power of attorney to make care and treatment decisions on their behalf, and give instructions about their health care wishes. Please bring a copy of your AHCD on the day of your surgery. If you do not have an AHCD, you can download one from the patient information. secion.
• Advance health care directives are written instructions people use to give directions about the type of care they want or don’t want, should they be unable to make health care decisions for themselves. Advance health care directives are commonly found in two forms: 1) a living will, and 2) a durable power of attorney for health care or medical durable power of attorney. However, an advance health care directive may take other forms or be called other things. Regardless, these documents are being with increasing regularity because of the growing concern over how medical decisions are made when people are unable to make such decisions for themselves. The Nebraska Rights of the Terminally Ill Act recognizes that adults (19 years of age or older) have the fundamental right to control decisions related to their own medical care. This law provides Nebraska adults with the right to give written instructions to their physicians about the use of life-sustaining measures if their condition is
An Advance Health Care Directive, sometimes referred to as a durable power of attorney for healthcare or living will, allows you to name someone to make medical decisions for you in the event that you are no longer able to do so yourself. In addition, you may include detailed instructions regarding your future medical care, such as the use of life-support or other life prolonging methods, pain medication, and any specific surgical procedures you have strong feelings about.
Related Questions
- What is the difference between an advance directive, living will and a durable power of attorney for health care?
- Whats the difference between a will, living trust, durable power of attorney and advance health care directive?
- Who makes the health care decisions if there is no Advance Health Care Directive?
