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A Very Important Legal Document

Advance medical directives are available to help a patient receive care according to their wishes. There are many types of advance medical directives that describe different desires of the carrier. Though in some ways it crosses over in purpose to the living will and health care proxy, the advance medical directive still stands on its own. But what exactly is an advance medical directive? How does it differ from a living will or a health care proxy?

Making It Work For You

A directive is defined as an order or instruction, especially one issued by a central authority. These instructions can be written down as a record to be presented to others when needed. When such is done before a situation occurs, it is called an advance directive. When these instructions concern medical matters, it is called an advance medical directive.

For the most part, an advance medical directive is used to relate beforehand the desire for certain medical therapies to be either accepted or refused. Such a directive can be a simple statement of the patient's wishes. Some individuals, in order to avoid receiving a blood transfusion, use this. These directives can be small in size and easily carried in a purse or wallet. This directive that can be made available during an emergency is very advantageous. But does such a directive replace a living will or health care proxy?

Part Of A Team

As effective as an advance medical directive may be, it does not completely cover all aspects of care that a patient can receive. In such an instance, a living will or a health care proxy can further enhance the choices available both to the patient as well as the team treating the patient. However, a living will or health care proxy are not typically carried with an individual on a daily basis. Such are normally kept with other important files of the family and copies may have been left with others as well as a family attorney.

It is easy to see how the advance medical directive plays a vital role in ensuring that the patient receives appropriate care. It augments the power and effectiveness of the health care proxy and living will. A statement on the advance medical directive that mentions that a health care proxy or living will is also available will help augment the strength of the advance medical directive.

Keep it Close!

To be effective, an advance medical directive must be available for emergencies; it works when you cannot speak for yourself. This is typical of accidents that may occur to an individual. When medical professionals seek identification of an injured patient it is normally found in a wallet or a purse; thus, keep your directive in a location where it will be spotted by emergency technicians, police or hospital personnel. If it cannot be found, it remains useless.