What is an Advance Directive?
In 1990, Congress passed the Patient Self-Determination Act. It requires health care institutions to tell patients and their communities about their rights to make decisions about their health care. These rights include:
- the right to accept or refuse care
- the right to make advance directives about care.
Many people worry about what would happen if, due to physical or mental problems, they cannot understand the possible outcomes of a recommended health care decision. Or, if they are not able to tell their doctor if they want or do not want the recommended health care. Under a Virginia law called the “Health Care Decisions Act,” an adult may sign a document that makes their choices about health care known to their doctor and family and they can name someone they trust to make decisions if they become unable to make decisions themself. This document is called an “advance directive.”
Additional Resources
VirginiaAdvanceDirectives.org is a collaboration between Mental Health America of Virginia (MHAV), the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the University of Virginia and Duke University. It gives information to consumers about advance directives.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization offers free, state specific advance directive forms. It gives information about advanced directives, how to choose a healthcare agent and how to prepare your advanced directives.
Health Information Translations has information on advance directives in many languages.